New ‘national security threat’ in British jails emerges | Politics | News

Drones dropping drugs and weapons to dangerous prisoners being held in high-security jails are a “threat to national security”, a watchdog has warned.

Criminals are brazenly burning holes in windows to receive packages from organised crime gangs, it has emerged.

And Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor declared jails have “thriving” drug economies, with nets and CCTV being allowed to fall into “disrepair”.

Experts last night warned more offenders could leave prison with a drug addiction, leading to more crimes.

Mr Taylor accused the police and Government of giving up control of the airspace above HMP Manchester and HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire, as he called on them and the security services to “urgently confront” activity from criminal gangs behind the supply.

The scale of the problem at HMP Manchester, previously known as Strangeways, included inmates burning holes in windows to receive drone deliveries and prompted Mr Taylor to last year tell the Justice Secretary to put the prison into emergency measures.

Mr Taylor said: “It is highly alarming that the police and Prison Service have in effect ceded the airspace above two high-security prisons to organised crime gangs which are able to deliver contraband to jails holding extremely dangerous prisoners, including some who have been designated as high-risk category A.

“The safety of staff, prisoners and ultimately that of the public is seriously compromised by the failure to tackle what has become a threat to national security.

“The Prison Service, the police and other security services must urgently confront organised gang activity and reduce the supply of drugs and other illicit items which so clearly undermine every aspect of prison life.”

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) promised improvements including a crackdown on drugs after Mr Taylor found there to be “catastrophic levels” present at the category B prison in Manchester which can hold more than 700 men, including a handful of the “most disruptive” and high-risk prisoners under close supervision.

“The number of weapons and other illicit items found in recent months was among the highest of all prisons holding adult men and the proportion of prisoners testing positive for drug use was very high at 39%,” the report said.

Meanwhile, the findings on Long Lartin told of drones carrying “large payloads of illicit items” into the category A Worcestershire prison.

Holding almost 600 inmates, including those mainly serving life sentences and “some very dangerous men”, the number of drugs and phones coming into the jail was a “serious concern”.

More than 50% of prisoners told inspectors it was “easy” to get drugs and alcohol, which the watchdog branded an “astonishing rate” for a high-security jail, according to the report.

The latest warning comes after Mr Taylor likened high-security jail HMP Garth in Lancashire to an “airport” because there were so many drones flying in drugs.

And a report from Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB) – made up of volunteers tasked by ministers with scrutinising conditions in custody – into “crumbling” jails in England and Wales said delays in fixing broken prison windows was making it easier for drones to be used to deliver drugs and weapons.

In December, MPs heard contraband was being taken into HMP Parc in South Wales in “children’s nappies”, while there were “industrial specification drone drops being organised by organised crime gangs”.

Responding to the HMIP Reports on HMP Manchester and HMP Long Lartin, Nacro CEO, Campbell Robb said: 5“The latest HMIP reports on HMP Manchester and HMP Long Lartin bear witness to a vicious cycle of boredom, drug-taking and violence.

“Whilst the practical security measures relating to how drugs infiltrate prisons must be urgently addressed, we must also tackle the conditions in prison driving these shockingly high levels of substance misuse.

“At Nacro we see first-hand the importance of work and education to give people in prison structure, a sense of purpose and a meaningful way to spend their time, which makes it less likely that people will turn to drugs to cope.

“This is essential for successful rehabilitation.

“We are deeply concerned that rocketing drug use in prison will result in more people leaving prison with addiction issues, which is likely to lead to higher rates or reoffending.

“Preventing illicit substances from entering our prisons together with a radical refocus on rehabilitation and purposeful activity is needed if we want to prevent the current crisis from extending beyond the prison walls and into our communities.”