A rat infestation at a failing jail was so dangerous inmates had been compelled to dam gaps beneath their cell doorways with cardboard and towels, a report has discovered.
The odor of rat urine was “overpowering” in some areas of Rochester jail in Kent, chief inspector for prisons Charlie Taylor stated.
The report detailed the “squalid” and “decrepit” circumstances, rising violence, self-harm and widespread drug use on the jail.
The circumstances have led the watchdog to place the decrease safety jail into particular measures and name on the justice secretary to make enhancements.
Rochester jail had been condemned for closure in 2017 however remained open because of the overcrowding disaster in jails, Mr Taylor stated within the newest inspection in August.
Drug use on the class C jail, which holds greater than 700 males, was “endemic” and there was a rising variety of assaults on workers, the report stated.
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The jail was “fundamentally failing in its rehabilitative purpose as a category C training and resettlement prison,” with a few of the worst circumstances inspectors had seen lately.
“Staff and prisoners told us that rats and mice regularly entered cells and offices on the older wings,” the report stated.
“Prisoners resorted to creating barriers from cardboard or towels to fill gaps under cell doors to keep vermin out.”
It added: “The smell of rat urine in some areas was overpowering.
“All through the inspection, each workers and prisoners complained in regards to the infestation.
“Staff showed us where the rats had come in through ducting and around pipes.
“It was evident that mice had been additionally commonplace, and on some wings almost all prisoners put makeshift limitations beneath their cell doorways to attempt to maintain rodents out.”
Report ‘underlines horrible scenario’ authorities ‘inherited’
Andrea Coomber, chief govt of the Howard League for Penal Reform, stated: “This report into Rochester prison underlines the terrible situation that the current government inherited on taking office.
“But it surely additionally underlines the truth that authorities ministers can solely use that as an excuse for therefore lengthy.”
Despite welcoming recent efforts to tackle problems in prisons, she warned: “If we’re nonetheless seeing inspection reviews like this in a yr’s time, then the federal government may have solely itself responsible.”
Safety measures can be reviewed, cells are being refurbished and extra effort can be made to get prisoners into coaching and schooling, a Ministry of Justice spokesperson stated.
