PRISON inspectors have described conditions at two maximum security prisons as “appalling,” with uncleaned blood stains, rodents, prisoners emptying buckets of faeces out of cell windows because of the stench, and acute staffing shortages.

HM Inspectorate of Prisons visited HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire and HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire in December.

The Inspectorate said that the prisons hold some of the most dangerous prisoners in England and Wales, posing a “significant risk of harm to the public” and serving long or indeterminate sentences.

Inspectors described Whitemoor as “the dirtiest prison the Chief Inspector has ever seen, with what appeared to be a blood stain uncleaned for several days, serveries left uncleaned overnight and overflowing rubbish.”

A Prison Service spokesperson told the Morning Star: ““We are making changes at HMP Whitemoor to improve cleanliness and are conducting a review of work and training so there is greater focus on rehabilitation.”

“At Long Lartin, the ageing facilities were failing: heating and often water didn’t work, roofs leaked, there were no in-cell toilets in older wings and men relied on buckets which they emptied out of their cell windows as they waited so long for them to be removed and cleaned and the smell became unbearable.

“Given how long men were held in their cells, this was appalling. Both prisons, unsurprisingly, were battling with rodent infestations.

“Men spent most of their time locked alone in their cells and described a sense of hopelessness. 

“At Long Lartin, the rate of self-harm had doubled since the last inspection and was the highest among comparable prisons.”

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Since the inspection we have taken robust action at HMP Long Lartin, including deploying extra staff and introducing new body-worn cameras for staff, which has led to a 125 per cent increase in the number of prisoners engaged in work and education and cut attacks against staff by 15 per cent.”

Inspectors also warned that some of the issues at the prisons, including rising self-harm, were unable to be dealt with due to “severe staff shortages.”

Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor said: “Both Long Lartin and Whitemoor had fundamentally lost their way.

“Neither prison was fulfilling this function effectively and they were not even discharging their duty to maintain clean and decent facilities. 

“Both prisons need to take urgent action to improve.”

Andrew Neilson, of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “The appalling conditions highlighted in these reports are the symptoms of a prison system that is overstretched and under-resourced.

“Urgent action is needed to reduce the prison population and ease pressure on a system that fails to keep us safe and holds the country back.”

Sarah Rigby, national executive committee member of prison officers' union the Prison Officers' Association (POA) told the Morning Star that “sadly this comes as no surprise to the POA.

“The staffing issues at Long Lartin are deep rooted and there does not appear to be any appetite to address them from HMPPS.

“Other prisons in a similar position were given a market supplement to try to encourage and enable staff to work there but staff at Long Lartin have not been offered the same.

“All this report will do is formulate yet another plan with no realistic and practical support to make a noticeable and measurable difference.

“Money and investment is needed to improve the physical and aging facilities at Long Lartin but no doubt the Governor will be expected to fund these improvements out of his existing budget, whilst also making further savings.

“This is just not good enough for our hard working members who want to be able to do their job properly and effectively with the appropriate support from HMPPS and government.”

A Prison Service spokesperson from HMP Whitemoor said: “We are making changes at HMP Whitemoor to improve cleanliness and are conducting a review of work and training so there is greater focus on rehabilitation.”