On Monday 20th June an inmate at Long Lartin Prison near Evesham died and another inmate was arrested on suspicion of murder. Long Lartin prison is a maximum security prison with many category A inmates.
A police investigation has commenced by West Mercia police with Detective Inspector Paul Hardman leading the inquiries. In addition, there will also be an investigation by the Independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.
Nigel Huddleston said:
“I take this alleged murder very seriously. Someone has died in a prison in my constituency and the death needs to be investigated properly. Both the inmates and those who work in prisons need to feel that they are safe. I visited Long Lartin prison last year and I have met prison officers several times so I know what a great job they do in very difficult circumstances every day to try and keep themselves, prisoners and visitors safe.
As the investigation is in its early stages it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on this particular case, but more must be done to reduce violence in prisons generally.
There is no single, simple solution to the issue of violence in prisons. The nature of offenders and the widespread availability of psychoactive substances have both contributed to making prisons less save over recent years.
Reducing the availability of drugs has been a particular focus of the ongoing Violence Reduction Project. Legislation has recently been brought in to ban certain ‘legal highs’ and it is now an offence to smuggle new psychoactive substances into prison. Mandatory drug testing of prisoners for psychoactive substances is being piloted and more than 300 dogs have been trained to sniff out drugs in prisons.
The government recognises the need to bring our prison service into the 21st century. Prison reform was front and centre of the recent Queen’s speech and the Justice Department has announced a series of initiatives to improve our prisons with a £1.3billion building improvement programme and a renewed focus on prisoner rehabilitation which in the long term will save money by reducing reoffending rates.
The government has also responded to staffing pressures highlighted by the Prison Officers Association by recruiting more than 2,800 prison officers since January last year – a net increase of 530.”
ENDS
For more information contact Nigel Huddleston on 07789983719 or his Parliamentary office on 0207 219 5814.
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Nigel Huddleston MP
Member of Parliament for Mid Worcestershire
House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
020 7219 0171
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