MORE than half of the inmates in a high-security prison are living in cells with no toilet, sink or running water, inspectors warn.

About 280 of the 546 prisoners at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire lack basic sanitary facilities according to the prisons inspectorate’s February report to be published today.  

The understaffed site is also recovering from a serious recent Covid-19 outbreak in which three prisoners have died, the inspectors said.

Long Lartin holds some of the country’s most dangerous and serious offenders, with two thirds serving life sentences and others serving more than 10 years.

Prisons chief inspector Charlie Taylor said: “[Inmates] had to use an electronic request system — which was often unreliable — to use the toilets at night.

“The pandemic had brought the shortcomings of this system into sharp focus because prisoners were locked up for longer periods than usual.”

“Most prisoners said that the measures to prevent the spread of the disease were necessary, but the recent outbreak had affected their perceptions of their own safety.”

Inspectors found investigations into prisoner complaints were “poor,” sometimes being carried out by the member of staff against whom an issue had been raised.

Mr Taylor also said healthcare waiting lists were undermanaged, resulting in some waits of over a year to see a GP.

“We had little confidence that sustained progress was possible without a major improvement to governance and management across many areas of prison life,” he warned.

Chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform charity Frances Crook said: “This is the latest in a long line of reports to reveal how the pandemic has put further strain on a prison system that was already failing.

“Too many people in prison are being held in unsafe conditions while a maintenance backlog has been allowed to grow longer and longer.”

Sarah Rigby of the POA, the union which represents prison officers, called for more funding to tackle staffing problems and deteriorating conditions.  

“As with many other prisons, years of little or no investment means they do not have fit-for-purpose accommodation, and it is unfair to blame the local management team for this.

“The prison would need additional investment to improve the cells and to provide better living conditions.”

Director of the Prison Reform Trust Peter Dawson said: “Our prison estate is a shambles. It includes prisons that are over 200 years old and should have been closed decades ago. But people may not realise that it also includes more recently built prisons that now fall lamentably below acceptable standards.

“The pandemic has exposed the chronic underinvestment in maintenance and modernisation that the prison estate has suffered for many years. Yet politicians on all sides continue to press for ever harsher sentences and the ever-growing prison population that means. A fundamental change in approach is long overdue.”

A Prisons Service spokesperson said: “Inspectors have rightly praised the governor and his staff for their effective management during the pandemic which has protected lives.  

“Facilities are already being upgraded and we are investing £2.5 billion to modernise the prison estate.”