A damning report has exposed excessive levels of violence and drug abuse at HMP Leicester, with the Victorian-era facility recording the highest assault rate among similar prisons in the country.
The findings come from HM Chief Inspector of Prisons following an unannounced inspection in August, which revealed alarming statistics about safety and substance misuse at the institution.
Critical Safety Concerns
During their visit, inspectors observed that the use of force at the facility was excessive, with the prison recording what they described as 'the highest assault rate among comparable reception prisons'.
The report, released on Monday, November 17, detailed that over the preceding 12 months there had been 114 attacks on staff and 143 on inmates, with both figures showing increases since the last inspection.
Perhaps most concerning was the assault rate calculation, which stood at 821 per 1,000 prisoners - significantly higher than the comparator average of 479.
Drug Strategy Failures
The inspection uncovered serious problems with drug management, with the positive mandatory drug testing rate reaching 29 per cent.
Inspectors noted 'persistent delays in providing substance misuse support' and criticised drug strategy meetings for lacking effective leadership or meaningful follow-up action.
At the time of inspection, the prison housed 328 adult male inmates aged between 21 and 68, many of whom were not receiving adequate support for addiction issues.
Broader Institutional Challenges
Beyond the immediate concerns about violence and drugs, inspectors identified 14 key areas of concern, with five classified as urgent priorities.
These included health partnerships failing to tackle long-standing problems, an unreliable daily routine where staff couldn't always account for prisoners' whereabouts, and insufficient expectations for inmates to participate in education and employment programmes.
The prison's deteriorating infrastructure was noted as 'an obvious challenge', with many cells on the main wing having damaged flooring and windows, poor ventilation, and requiring refurbishment.
Healthcare represented another problematic area, featuring high staff turnover, elevated rates of missed appointments, and inadequate supervision of medication administration.
Mental health services were described as 'stretched', with patients often waiting too long for transfer to specialist secure community beds.
Some Positive Findings Amid the Crisis
Despite the concerning findings, the report acknowledged that HMP Leicester was well managed and had dedicated staff.
Staff-prisoner relationships were rated as good, and staff retention had improved. Prisoners had good access to social visits and a refurbished gym that was open seven days a week.
The inspection assessed four categories, finding the facility 'sufficiently good for safety, reasonably good for respect, poor for purposeful activity and reasonably good for preparation for release'.
In response to the findings, the Ministry of Justice stated that prison staff 'are receiving extra training and working to reduce violence in the prison'.
A spokesperson added: 'This government inherited a prison system in crisis - overcrowded, with violence and access to drugs at unacceptable levels. We are building 14,000 prison places and reforming sentencing, so our jails create better citizens, not better criminals.'
