Latest news with #HMPStyal
Leader Live
16-05-2025
- Leader Live
Mold teen impersonated police and wrongly accused man
Ellie Condron, of Alyn Meadow, appeared at Mold Magistrates Court on Thursday afternoon via video link from HMP Styal. The 19-year-old was to be sentenced after admitting she made a statement suggesting she was a police constable, as well as one offence of harassment without violence. Prosecutor Rhian Jackson told the court that the victim in both cases was 19-year-old Fernando Martinho, a former college classmate. On June 20 last year, he received a call to his mobile from a female purporting to be a police officer. She told him she was calling from North Wales Police and provided a name and a collar number. Mr Martinho panicked, and went to his support worker for help. The support worker spoke with the so-called officer, who explained a complaint had been made against Mr Martinho in respect of him 'sending indecent pictures of himself.' When asked for more details, the 'officer' said she couldn't give them 'due to GDPR' but she asked for the victim's address. His support worker became suspicious and refused to provide it, also for GDPR reasons. Later, checks were made with North Wales Police and it was confirmed that no such complaint or report had been made in respect of the victim. It was later confirmed that the caller had in fact been Condron impersonating an officer. The second offence came about in July last year when Mr Martinho was made aware of a TikTok video Condron had made about him. In the clip, which was played to the court, Condron accused him of "being on the sex offender's register" - which was completely untrue. She told viewers of the clip: "I've reported this several times and they don't seem to care. TikTok, do your thing." It made Mr Martinho "feel terrible" and he became "cautious about being in college." When questioned about both offences, she declined to give any comment. Ms Jackson told the court that Condron has 11 previous convictions for 20 offences. Her sentencing in respect of impersonating police and harassment came just hours after her sentencing in the Crown Court for an offence of arson - in which she'd posted a lit firework through the door of a young woman she'd fallen out with. Lorraine McClure, defending Condron for the Magistrates Court hearing, told the court: "We have received a note from Ms Condron's counsel regarding this morning's sentence for arson; I understand she was given two years' imprisonment, suspended for two years. "She is also required to do a mental health treatment requirement with that suspended sentence, and 25 days of rehabilitation activity, and a restraining order was given in relation to that case. "The guidelines are clear. Ordinarily you may have been considering a custodial sentence [in respect of these offences]. MORE COURT NEWS "Clearly this is harassment to a gentleman who had not done any of the things he was being accused of and it made him feel dreadful. "It would have been a problem, I'm sure, for his employment and reputation. "If you're considering a custodial sentence, it's whether you wish to impose a further one to run alongside, suspended for a period of time." Condron's counsel in the Crown Court case had explained the defendant had "a lengthy background of complex mental health disorders" and, in their view, a "clear connection" between her impairment and offending behaviour. A member of the probation service confirmed to the Magistrates that the rehabilitative measured imposed as part of the Crown Court sentence would be sufficient to address Condron's needs. As such, the Magistrates handed down a 24 week custodial term for the harassment, but suspended it for 18 months. For impersonating a police officer, Condron received no separate penalty. She must pay £85 costs and a £154 victim surcharge. A 12 month restraining order was imposed to prevent Condron from contacting Mr Martinho, as well as posting anything about him on social media or the internet more widely.
BBC News
10-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
HMP Styal-run restaurant The Clink announces closure after decade
A public restaurant which is run out of a women's prison and operated by inmates has announced its closure after more than a decade. The Clink, run out of HMP Styal in Cheshire, opened in 2015 to offer training and employment opportunities as a way to promote rehabilitation and reduce reoffending. The charity said the restaurant would close on 31 July because it was "no longer viable at this time". Chief executive Donna-Marie Edmonds said: "The decision not to renew our contract at HMP Styal has been made with an incredibly heavy heart." She added: "The Clink Charity's mission is to reduce reoffending and we have been doing this at Styal, producing outstanding results for over a decade."The decision to close the restaurant had been made due to factors including costs and participant numbers, the charity said. Ms Edmonds added: "Although the restaurant will officially close this summer, our partnership at Styal will be remembered not only for its landmark training outcomes, but as a beacon of hope where women have sought refuge and rehabilitation."As one of those students puts it, 'If it wasn't for my journey at The Clink, I wouldn't be where I am now.'"Hundreds of inmates achieved qualifications through the scheme, with The Clink being named Cheshire Restaurant of the Year in 2024. The charity also runs another restaurant out of HMP Brixton in London. Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
The Irish Sun
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Award-winning restaurant in PRISON announces sudden closure 10 years after opening as charity gives heartbreaking update
AN AWARD winning restaurant, that helps to rehabilitate prisoners is set to close after 10 years, in a blow to both the prison and hospitality sectors. The Clink Restaurant at HMP Styal in Cheshire is set to close its doors in July after helping prisoners to learn new skills for a decade. Advertisement 2 The Clink helps prisoners to learn new skills Credit: Facebook @The Clink Restaurant at HMP Styal 2 The restaurants in Brixton and Surrey remain open Credit: Facebook @The Clink Restaurant at HMP Styal The restaurant is one of three establishments in the UK giving inmates the chance to up-skill, whilst still behind bars. However, a statement released today announced that the prison restaurant will cease trading on July 31. The statement explained that the concept of providing female prisoners with training and employment opportunities is "no longer viable" thanks to a "number of factors including costs and participant numbers". Donna-Marie Edmonds, Chief Executive of The Clink Charity , said: 'The decision not to renew our contract at HMP Styal has been made with an incredibly heavy heart. Advertisement "The Clink Charity's mission is to reduce re-offending and we have been doing this at Styal, producing outstanding results for over a decade. 'Although the restaurant will officially close this summer, our partnership at Styal will be remembered not only for its landmark training outcomes, but as a beacon of hope where women have sought refuge and rehabilitation. "As one of those students puts it: 'If it wasn't for my journey at The Clink, I wouldn't be where I am now.'" The idea for The Clink was created by Alberto Crisci MBE, then catering manager at HMP High Down in Surrey. Advertisement Most read in The Sun He saw potential in prisoners working in the prison canteen and introduced accredited City & Guilds NVQ training. The restaurant aims to combine rehabilitation and learning new skills, to give prisoners a better chance of finding a job when they are released. Beloved Italian restaurant chain abruptly closes 4 locations after going bankrupt for third time and fans 'so sad' Many The Clink staff members have stayed working in the hospitality industry after being released from prison. The restaurant has won many awards over the years, and was named Cheshire Restaurant of the Year at the Cheshire Life magazine Food & Drink Awards in 2024. Advertisement However, unfortunately problems facing both the prison and hospitality sectors in recent years have left bosses with no choice but to close. The Clink Restaurant's in HMP Brixton and HMP High Down are currently still open, whilst the restaurant at HMP Cardiff closed in 2022. Why are retailers closing stores? RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis. High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going. However, additional costs have added further pain to an already struggling sector. The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs from April will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025." It comes after almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024. End-of-year figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research showed the number of job losses spiked amid the collapse of major chains such as Homebase and Ted Baker. It said its latest analysis showed that a total of 169,395 retail jobs were lost in the 2024 calendar year to date. This was up 49,990 – an increase of 41.9% – compared with 2023. It is the highest annual reading since more than 200,000 jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced retailers to shut their stores during lockdowns. The centre said 38 major retailers went into administration in 2024, including household names such as Lloyds Pharmacy, Homebase, The Body Shop, Carpetright and Ted Baker. Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024, 33% or 55,914 in total, resulted from administrations. Experts have said small high street shops could face a particularly challenging 2025 because of Budget tax and wage changes. Professor Bamfield has warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector. "By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020." This follows the news that The Browns Bar and Brasserie is set to close its first ever restaurant, in Brighton after more than 50 years. Diners will have until May 9 to enjoy one last meal before the site closes trading. Advertisement Shoreditch-based restaurant Pioneered by maverick chef James Lowe, the fiercely no-frills concept offered a set menu averaging around £50 - radically cheap in the world of fine dining. Read more on the Irish Sun And French-inspired brasserie Côte has closed its popular branch at Gloucester Quays, marking the end of an era at the retail and leisure hub. The restaurant, which first opened in 2017, quickly became one of the more upmarket options at the site, offering a taste of France to local diners. Advertisement
Scottish Sun
06-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Award-winning restaurant in PRISON announces sudden closure 10 years after opening as charity gives heartbreaking update
AN AWARD winning restaurant, that helps to rehabilitate prisoners is set to close after 10 years, in a blow to both the prison and hospitality sectors. The Clink Restaurant at HMP Styal in Cheshire is set to close its doors in July after helping prisoners to learn new skills for a decade. 2 The Clink helps prisoners to learn new skills Credit: Facebook @The Clink Restaurant at HMP Styal 2 The restaurants in Brixton and Surrey remain open Credit: Facebook @The Clink Restaurant at HMP Styal The restaurant is one of three establishments in the UK giving inmates the chance to up-skill, whilst still behind bars. However, a statement released today announced that the prison restaurant will cease trading on July 31. The statement explained that the concept of providing female prisoners with training and employment opportunities is "no longer viable" thanks to a "number of factors including costs and participant numbers". Donna-Marie Edmonds, Chief Executive of The Clink Charity, said: 'The decision not to renew our contract at HMP Styal has been made with an incredibly heavy heart. "The Clink Charity's mission is to reduce re-offending and we have been doing this at Styal, producing outstanding results for over a decade. 'Although the restaurant will officially close this summer, our partnership at Styal will be remembered not only for its landmark training outcomes, but as a beacon of hope where women have sought refuge and rehabilitation. "As one of those students puts it: 'If it wasn't for my journey at The Clink, I wouldn't be where I am now.'" The idea for The Clink was created by Alberto Crisci MBE, then catering manager at HMP High Down in Surrey. He saw potential in prisoners working in the prison canteen and introduced accredited City & Guilds NVQ training. The restaurant aims to combine rehabilitation and learning new skills, to give prisoners a better chance of finding a job when they are released. Beloved Italian restaurant chain abruptly closes 4 locations after going bankrupt for third time and fans 'so sad' Many The Clink staff members have stayed working in the hospitality industry after being released from prison. The restaurant has won many awards over the years, and was named Cheshire Restaurant of the Year at the Cheshire Life magazine Food & Drink Awards in 2024. However, unfortunately problems facing both the prison and hospitality sectors in recent years have left bosses with no choice but to close. The Clink Restaurant's in HMP Brixton and HMP High Down are currently still open, whilst the restaurant at HMP Cardiff closed in 2022. Why are retailers closing stores? RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis. High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going. However, additional costs have added further pain to an already struggling sector. The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs from April will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025." It comes after almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024. End-of-year figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research showed the number of job losses spiked amid the collapse of major chains such as Homebase and Ted Baker. It said its latest analysis showed that a total of 169,395 retail jobs were lost in the 2024 calendar year to date. This was up 49,990 – an increase of 41.9% – compared with 2023. It is the highest annual reading since more than 200,000 jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced retailers to shut their stores during lockdowns. The centre said 38 major retailers went into administration in 2024, including household names such as Lloyds Pharmacy, Homebase, The Body Shop, Carpetright and Ted Baker. Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024, 33% or 55,914 in total, resulted from administrations. Experts have said small high street shops could face a particularly challenging 2025 because of Budget tax and wage changes. Professor Bamfield has warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector. "By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020." This follows the news that The Browns Bar and Brasserie is set to close its first ever restaurant, in Brighton after more than 50 years. Diners will have until May 9 to enjoy one last meal before the site closes trading. Shoreditch-based restaurant Lyle's is also closing its doors after 11 years, despite being a fixture on the World's Best Restaurant List since its opening in 2014. Pioneered by maverick chef James Lowe, the fiercely no-frills concept offered a set menu averaging around £50 - radically cheap in the world of fine dining. And French-inspired brasserie Côte has closed its popular branch at Gloucester Quays, marking the end of an era at the retail and leisure hub. The restaurant, which first opened in 2017, quickly became one of the more upmarket options at the site, offering a taste of France to local diners.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Positive drug test results at HMP Styal highest in women's estate
HMP Styal has the highest positive drug test results in the women's estate, which leaders appeared 'ill-equipped to tackle', the prisons watchdog said. The rate of self-harm was the second highest at the women's prison, which is in Cheshire, of all 12 women's prisons, with more than 5,200 reported incidents in the past year, a report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) found. A quarter of all incidents of self-harm involved three women, with one harming herself over 400 times across the year, sometimes multiple times each day, HMIP individual was eventually transferred to a mental health hospital. It comes after the Princess of Wales visited the prison last month to meet ex-offenders and those still serving who have received support from a mother and baby unit. HMP/YOI Styal receives women from courts all over the north-west of England and also Wales, either remanded or sentenced. There are facilities for mothers with babies up to 18 months. A small unit outside the main closed prison accommodates women suitable for open conditions. A lack of enhanced gate security, an X-ray machine and a body scanner undermined the prison's efforts to stop the ingress of drugs of which 44% of surveyed women said they were easy to get hold of, inspectors said after the visit which took place between December 2 and 12 2024. In the past year, 39 women had been sent to the prison due to their acute vulnerabilities and the absence of specialised support in the community, HMIP added. Additionally, 30 had been referred for transfer to hospital under the Mental Health Act. Some complex and mentally unwell women spent time in segregation, with dedicated officers unable to provide the specialist care they needed, inspectors said. Inspectors commended the Prison Advice and Care Trust's work to support women to maintain family ties, innovative and creative activity sessions and workshops, and extra support for new arrivals. However, for some women, day-to-day frustrations affected their ability to cope and lead to self-harm, HMIP said. This included an inability to resolve basic requests through the applications system, long periods of lock up and anxiety caused by a lack of contact with their children. Low staffing levels aggravated these problems, with one officer required to supervise two or three houses at a time, inspectors added. HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, said: 'The vulnerabilities of the women were evidenced everywhere; notably in the amount of mental health need, the four self-inflicted deaths, and near doubling of the amount of self-harm recorded since we last inspected. Many other safety indicators were similarly concerning. 'Access to staff was reduced considerably, a fact keenly felt by the women. 'This was compounded by very little key work support, which limited women's ability to get their requests or complaints dealt with without resorting to formal systems. 'The lack of access to officers was arguably one of the most important issues to address at Styal.' Most women lived in detached houses that required urgent and significant investment to address fire safety concerns and provide basic levels of decency, inspectors said. Education provision needed improvement, with a weak curriculum and poorly attended classes, as did release planning, with most women released without sustainable housing or homeless, including some who presented serious risk of harm to themselves and others, HMIP added. Andy Keen-Downs, chief executive of Pact (Prison Advice and Care Trust) said the report demonstrates the 'desperate need' for more investment to support women in prison who are mentally unwell, including better care to keep women in prison safe, as well as more investment in community mental health services. He said: 'The Chief Inspector paints a damning picture of an understaffed workforce working hard to try to meet the spiralling levels of need. 'Despite the efforts of dedicated prison officers, incidents of self-harm are alarmingly high and too many seriously mentally unwell women are waiting too long to be transferred to hospital. 'It's welcome that ministers have signalled their intention to do things differently in the female estate, for example, their pledge to send fewer women to prison and investment in Resettlement Workers. 'However, the problems revealed in today's report are mirrored in women's prisons across the country. Not enough is being done to ensure that women get the support they need to serve their prison time in safety and to prepare to lead good lives after release.' Sonya Ruparel, chief executive of Women in Prison said: 'With high levels of self-harm, substance misuse and women being released from prison into homelessness, women are not safe in prison and are set up to fail when they come back into the community. 'It is also highly concerning to see the numbers of mentally unwell women in custody because of a lack of suitable services in the community. 'Prison is not a substitute for medical, psychological, or psychiatric care, and its use in these cases is unacceptable.' Andrea Coomber, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: 'Almost two decades after the Corston Report called for change, we still read of women, who have been let down in the community, being sent to prison to be let down again. 'With self-harm rising in Styal and other jails, the Government must deliver quickly on its commitment to reduce the number of women in prison.' A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: 'The Lord Chancellor has created a Women's Justice Board so fewer women end up sent to prison and this report shows how urgent that work is. 'Staffing at the prison has now increased and we are investing in safety improvements so that women at HMP/YOI Styal are better supported.'
