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BBC News
a day ago
- Politics
- BBC News
'Significant increase' in inmates sees rise in cell sharing in NI prisons
Northern Ireland prisons have a "high density" of inmates, with cell sharing at Maghaberry jail on the increase in order to deal with space 40% (567) of prisoners at Maghaberry share cells, a practice referred to as comes as a new report for the Council of Europe (CoE), the human rights watchdog, notes a "significant increase" of prisoners in Northern is primarily driven by remanding people into custody before conviction or sentencing. Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie said members of the Prison Service have contacted him recently to raise a number of claimed there are "rising tensions" at Maghaberry, partly due to "low staff levels".The Prison Service said newly trained officers have been deployed to the jail, with a further class of recruits set to join them in two weeks' Ireland's prisoner population currently stands at 2,139, which is up by more than 200 on a year largest prison, Maghaberry, has 1,470 inmates, 737 (50%) of whom are being held on remand. Last year, Maghaberry had to re-open a disused cell block to increase its CoE report describes Northern Ireland as having a "high prison density".But it did not define the situation as overcrowding - this is when there are more than 100 inmates per 100 on data for 2023-24, it said Northern Ireland had 86 prisoners per 100 places.A spokesperson for the Prison Service said: "Whilst challenging, the prison population in Northern Ireland has not yet exceeded available capacity, and we continue to prioritise safe, decent, and secure custody."The Prison Service is working with partners across the justice system to identify actions that can be taken to reduce the current population, with a particular focus on remand."Every day prison staff perform their challenging roles with dedication and professionalism."
BreakingNews.ie
2 days ago
- BreakingNews.ie
3 babies born to inmates in Irish prisons and 19 pregnant women jailed to date in 2025
Three babies have been born to inmates at the Dóchas Centre women's prison in Dublin and Limerick's women's prison to date this year, new figures show. According to the new figures provided by the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O'Callaghan TD, four infants aged under 12 months, three at Dóchas and one at Limerick - have been accommodated with their mothers at the female prisons to date this year. Advertisement This followed three infants being accommodated with their mothers at Dochas Centre only in 2024. The three babies born to inmates across the Irish prison estate this year follow four babies born to inmates in 2024. This followed no babies born to prison inmates in 2023 and 2022 and there was only baby born to a woman jailed at Dóchas Centre prison at the time during 2021 and 2020. In written Dail replies to Deputies Gary Gannon TD and Matt Carthy TD, Minister O'Callaghan confirmed that two babies have been born to inmates at Dóchas Centre to date this year and one baby to an inmate at the 50-capacity Limerick's women's prison. Advertisement In the replies, Minister O'Callaghan also reveals that in 2025, 19 pregnant women have imprisoned at Irish prisons - 13 at Dóchas and six at Limerick. This followed 27 pregnant women being jailed last year - 22 at Dóchas and five at Limerick and the 27 total was more than double the 12 total for 2023. In his reply Minister O'Callaghan told the two deputies: 'I can confirm that there are currently no pregnant women remanded to custody within the Irish Prison Estate.' He said: 'Pregnant woman in custody are provided with as much privacy as possible and are accommodated in single occupancy rooms.' Advertisement He said that in accordance with prison rules 'a child may remain in the care of their mother in prison, until the child has reached twelve months of age' He added that, in the Dóchas Centre, mothers and babies are accommodated in single occupancy double rooms. 'These rooms are on a small landing which is shared with enhanced status prisoners. Work is commencing in relation to additional, bespoke rooms for mothers and babies in the Dóchas Centre.' 'Limerick Women's Prison does not have a separate building for women with children, however the women and their babies are accommodated in 'independent style apartments'. Advertisement 'Each has their own individual apartment. This overall area is not specifically for women with babies and may house other prisoners deemed suitable to live in these "independent style apartments'. O'Callaghan said that, in relation to the health and safety of pregnant women in custody, the Irish Prison Service has developed and apply bespoke risk assessments to both pregnant women and to mothers and babies who are in their custody. 'These risk assessments inform strategies which support managing the health and safety of pregnant women, and mothers who have given birth to babies whilst serving prison sentences, within the prison environment.' He said that the Irish Prison Service employs a National Family Connections Officer and Iin May 2025 this officer established a multi-agency working group to review Protocols and update the Irish Prison Service Mother and Baby Policy to ensure best practice for the care and support of mothers and babies in custody. Advertisement He said: 'This work is currently at scoping stage.' Minister O'Callaghan said that 'the level of maternity care and supports provided to women in custody, is comparable to that available to women in the community'. Ireland Private properties used to house Ukrainian refugee... Read More "Primary care nursing is provided in female prisons on a 24/7 basis, 365 days a year. Doctor services are available Monday to Friday 9-5, with locum services available at the weekends. "Due to the specific needs of a number of the women who are pregnant, specialist HSE services have a very close and responsive working relationship with both prison management and the prison healthcare team. 'Most pregnant women receive all their antenatal care external to the prison, in routine antenatal clinics in the local HSE maternity hospital. When needed and in cases of emergency, specialist midwives will attend the prison; however, this is not a common occurrence.' He added that 'expectant mothers are always facilitated to have their children born in hospital'.
BreakingNews.ie
4 days ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Ireland had the 8th most overcrowded prisons in Europe last year
Ireland had the 8th most overcrowded prisons in Europe last year, according to a new report by an international human rights organisation. The annual report on penal statistics in prisons by the Council of Europe identified Ireland as one of 15 countries in Europe where prisons have more inmates than places available. Advertisement The Council of Europe – a leading human rights watchdog – has expressed concern at increasing overcrowding in prisons across the continent and claimed prison overcrowding remains a critical challenge in a third of European countries. Overall, the number of inmates per 100 places available increased from 93.5 in 2023 to 94.9 last year on average across Europe. The figures show Ireland had 105 prisoners for every 100 places available in 2024 which ranked it in joint 8th position with Sweden. The Council of Europe described the situation in Irish prisons as 'moderate overcrowding' which poses 'considerable challenges to daily prison management and service provision.' Advertisement It listed Ireland as one of 13 countries which experienced a significant increase in its prison population between January 2023 and January 2024. The figures show that the number of inmates in prisons in the Republic increased by 5.4% over the 12-month period and that Ireland's prison population has now grown by 17 per cent since 2005. Severe overcrowding in prisons was recorded in six countries – Slovenia, Cyprus, France, Italy, Romania and Belgium. The report revealed that there were over 1.02 million prisoners detained in prison in the 46 member states of the Council of Europe last year – representing a median prison population rate across Europe of 105 inmates per 100,000 inhabitants. Advertisement The incarceration rate in Ireland is 90 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants. Compared to the rest of prisons in Europe, Ireland has a disproportionately high number of people imprisoned for assault and battery offences and sexual offences including rape but relatively few for robbery and drug offences. Approximately 21 per cent of prisoners in the Republic are in pre-trial detention compared to the European average of 28 per cent of prisoners who are not serving a final sentence. One of the authors of the report, Professor Marcelo Aebi, head of the SPACE research team from the University of Lausanne, remarked: 'Overcrowding seriously undermines the living conditions of the prison population and the rehabilitation efforts of the prison administrations.' Advertisement Prof Aebi said data highlighted the importance of sentence duration as a lever to manage prison overcrowding. 'In addition to promoting alternative sanctions to imprisonment, reducing sentence lengths, especially for non-violent and low-risk offenders, can be a powerful tool for lowering incarceration rates,' he added. The average age of prisoners in the Republic is 38 years – just above the European average of 37 years. The average length of imprisonment for prisoners in Ireland last year was 7.2 years compared to the European median of 8.7 years. Advertisement The report shows that staffing levels in Irish prisons are good with 1.2 prisoners per staff – below the median for Europe of 1.5 inmates per staff. However, Ireland was also classified as one of 20 countries with a high rate of prisoner escapes relative to the prison population. The figures show there were 12.4 prison escapes per 10,000 inmates in the Republic in 2023 – almost four times the European median of 3.5 escapes per 10,000 prisoners. The report shows that foreign nationals represent a substantial share of the prison population across Europe but their distribution is very uneven between countries. It reveals that 16% of prisoners in Ireland last year were non-citizens – the same figure as the median for Europe. Just over half of all non-Irish nationals (52 per cent) in prisons in the Republic are from other EU member states. The proportion of foreign nationals in prisons ranged from 94 per cent in Monaco to one per cent in Romania. The report also shows Ireland has a relatively large proportion of elderly prisoners with 3.7% of all inmates over 65 years – the 10th highest rate in Europe where the average is 3.1 per cent. The Council of Europe said a growing number of elderly prisoners was already placing pressure on prison infrastructure and healthcare budgets in a trend that was likely to intensify in the coming years 'Although the proportion of elderly inmates remains modest, the implications for prison management are substantial. Older prisoners often present complex health needs, including chronic illnesses, cognitive decline and reduced mobility,' the report noted. It added: 'Their presence raises operational challenges related to accessibility, staffing, and care standards, as well as ethical and legal questions about the continued detention of individuals who may no longer pose a significant threat to public safety.'
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Telegraph
Prisoners released early in ‘sentencing error'
Criminals have been released from jail early 'in error' or illegally held longer than their release date at a 'dysfunctional' jail, watchdogs have revealed. Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons, has served an urgent notification on HMP Pentonville after discovering that scores of inmates have been kept in prison after they should have been freed or accidentally released early because staff 'failed to calculate sentences accurately'. The watchdog said data from the prison showed 130 inmates – 20 per cent of those eligible for release – had been held illegally after their release date in the past six months. Ten prisoners were released early 'in error' between July 2024 and June 2025. In a letter to the Justice Secretary, the chief inspector said arrangements for new prisoners' first night at the north London jail and induction were 'chaotic and even frightening'. Men were held in dirty cells missing bedding, furniture, telephones and pillows, the watchdog said. The majority of prisoners were locked in their cells for more than 22 hours a day. The report also said 60 per cent of prisoners were sharing cells designed for one person, many living areas were dirty and there was a widespread infestation of mice and cockroaches. Inspectors took emergency action after they found oversight of prisoners under constant supervision was 'shockingly poor', with one prison officer found asleep, two reading books and another 'completely absent'. The 'unacceptable practices' in the care of prisoners under constant supervision was a particular concern for inspectors given three suicides at the jail in 2025. 'Shocking failures' Mr Taylor said: 'Pentonville is an overcrowded, inner-city, Victorian prison with a record of poor performance over many years. 'Too many of its staff have become disillusioned about the possibility of improvement or their capacity to affect change. Yet many of its shocking failures are firmly within the control of leaders. 'The governor will need significant support and investment from HM Prison and Probation Service to strengthen his senior leadership team, re-focus on the basics and put in place effective oversight and assurance systems to turn this failing prison around.' A survey of prisoners also revealed that 44 per cent told inspectors they felt unsafe at the time of inspection, which the watchdog said was the highest figure recorded during his tenure as chief inspector. Pentonville is the 10th prison to be issued with an urgent notification since November 2022, following Exeter, Cookham Wood Young Offender Institution, Woodhill, Bedford, Wandsworth, Rochester, Manchester and Winchester prisons. The emergency measure was introduced in 2017 as a way to raise immediate concerns following an inspection, which requires a response and action plan by the Justice Secretary within 28 days. Elsewhere, the inspector's report also found that when releases were planned, 23 per cent of those prisoners were homeless on the day they were released, and very few had employment on release. 'Undermines effective sentence planning' Reacting to the urgent notification, Pia Sinha, the Prison Reform Trust chief executive, said: 'Prisoners illegally held after they should have been released, or others released early in error, further undermine effective sentence planning and erode public confidence. 'This urgent notification must be a rallying cry for immediate action – fix the failing infrastructure, improve staff training and treat prisoners with dignity.' Andrew Neilson, the director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, said the findings of the inspection were 'outrageous' and represent a 'new low' for an overcrowded public service on the brink of collapse. He added: 'While the Government inherited a dire state of affairs in prisons, it has had more than a year to bring about change. 'As report cards go, such a dire account of dysfunction in Pentonville instils little confidence that ministers have a grip of the situation.'
The Independent
5 days ago
- The Independent
Prisoners let out ‘in error' or held illegally beyond their release date in ‘squalid' prison, watchdog warns
Criminals have been released early by mistake or held illegally beyond their release date in 'appalling conditions' inside a chaotic and squalid prison, a watchdog has warned. The chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor has issued an urgent notification to the government over the state of medium security HMP Pentonville. The overcrowded Victorian jail in north London, where most prisoners share cells designed for one person, is infested with mice and cockroaches. Inspectors discovered 10 inmates in the Category B jail had been released early 'in error' between July 2024 and June 2025 because staff 'failed to calculate sentences accurately'. The prison holds a wide range offenders, including some jailed for violent crimes. A further 130 inmates – 20 per cent of those eligible for release – had been held illegally after their release date in the last six months. In a letter to justice secretary Shabana Mahmood, the chief inspector said arrangements for new prisoners' first night at the north London jail and induction were 'chaotic and even frightening'. Men were held in dirty cells missing bedding, furniture, telephones and pillows, the watchdog said, while the majority of prisoners were locked in their cells for more than 22 hours a day. Inspectors took emergency action after they found oversight of prisoners at risk of suicide and self-harm was 'shockingly poor', with one prison officer found asleep when they were supposed to be monitoring at-risk prisoners. Two were found reading books and another was 'completely absent', despite three self-inflicted deaths at the prison in 2025. Mr Taylor said: 'Pentonville is an overcrowded, inner-city, Victorian prison with a record of poor performance over many years. 'Too many of its staff have become disillusioned about the possibility of improvement or their capacity to affect change. Yet many of its shocking failures are firmly within the control of leaders.' A survey of prisoners also revealed 44 per cent felt unsafe at the time of inspection, which is the highest figure recorded during Mr Taylor's tenure as chief inspector. Pentonville is the tenth prison to be issued with an urgent notification since November 2022, following Exeter, Cookham Wood Young Offender Institution, Woodhill, Bedford, Wandsworth, Rochester, Manchester and Winchester prisons. The Howard League for Penal Reform described the findings as a 'new low' for the prisons system. Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns, said: 'The details emerging from this inspection are appalling and outrageous, and they represent a new low for an overcrowded and under-resourced public service that stands on the brink of collapse. 'While the government inherited a dire state of affairs in prisons, it has had more than a year to bring about change. As report cards go, such a dire account of dysfunction in Pentonville instils little confidence that ministers have a grip of the situation.' Pia Sinha, of the Prison Reform Trust, said the damning report must serve as a rallying cry for action. 'Prisoners illegally held after they should have been released, or others released early in error, further undermine effective sentence planning and erode public confidence,' she added. 'This urgent notification must be a rallying cry for immediate action – fix the failing infrastructure, improve staff training, and treat prisoners with dignity.' Prisons minister Lord Timpson said: 'This is a deeply concerning report and reflects the crisis that has gripped too many of our prisons for far too long. 'Yesterday, I visited HMP Pentonville and met with staff. The team is already working to urgently address the concerns raised by the Chief Inspector. We will publish an action plan in the coming weeks to support them in these efforts. 'This Government will end the chaos we inherited in our jails. We are building 14,000 new prison places and reforming sentencing so our jails reduce reoffending, cut crime, and keep victims safe.'
