Sexual harassment and bullying ‘normalised' among prison officers, minister reveals

Telegraph

06-05-2025

Sexual harassment, bullying and racism have become normalised among prison and probation officers in jails across England and Wales because of a 'toxic culture' of cover-up by senior staff, the prisons minister has warned.
Speaking at the launch of a report into behaviour and professional standards in the services, Lord Timpson said the 'unacceptable' behaviour had been allowed to grow 'unchecked' because staff did not report it for fear of retribution by their bosses and managers 'closing ranks'.
He revealed one in eight prison officers said they had been bullied, harassed or suffered discrimination in the past year, according to internal surveys.
He warned the 'toxic culture' was contributing to a recruitment crisis with potential new applicants deterred from joining the prison and probation service and 'good staff' being 'driven out.'
'All of this is against a backdrop of damaging newspaper headlines about inappropriate relationships between staff and inmates and officers smuggling in contraband and drugs,' he said .
An independent unit is to be set up to investigate complaints and root out poor behaviour, a move recommended by the report into behaviour and professional standards in the prison service by Jennifer Rademaker, a businesswoman and non-executive director with the Ministry of Justice.
Speaking at High Down prison in Surrey, Lord Timpson cited one current case of a female officer who was sexually assaulted while on night duty at prison when a more senior male officer 'forced his tongue into her mouth' after harassing her, including asking her bra size.
The woman initially did not report the officer even though he had 'a reputation' for such behaviour but finally plucked up the courage, leading to his sacking and prosecution for sexual assault.
'Gone unchecked for too long'
'His actions were clearly despicable. But her story begs the question, why did it take an assault for this man to finally be called out? Why, when he already had a reputation, was he not exposed sooner,' said Lord Timpson.
'Unacceptable behaviour, language, attitudes and actions have become normalised, tolerated and accepted over time, and as Jennifer's report shows, bullying, intimidation and harassment in HM Prison and Probation Service has gone unchecked for far too long,' he said
'Some of these stories may not make the front pages in the same way, but they are no less devastating. Disabled staff still struggling to get basic adjustments. They need to do their jobs, colleagues who have been repeatedly subjected to racist remarks but keep quiet because they think nothing will change.
'There is a fundamental, devastating lack of trust in how complaints of bullying, discrimination and harassment are dealt with.
'Too many staff feel unable to speak out, fearing they won't be believed, that it will only make matters worse because the hierarchy above them will close ranks and that nothing will be done.'
'Imagine making complaints knowing full well, it will be investigated by a senior manager who is friends with the person harassing you, and they socialise together outside of work too.
'Imagine plucking up the courage to come forward and have your complaint passed on to the perpetrator, or to learn that paperwork about your grievance has been left in a public area for everyone to see. Imagine seeing a colleague branded a grass for speaking out.'
'Unacceptable behaviour breaks people. It drives out good staff, the kind you want to keep in service. It creates a toxic culture, and it makes it much harder for you to do your jobs, the vital work that turns lives around, cuts crime and makes our streets safer. That's why professional standards matter,' said Lord Timpson.