The number of assaults reported at a troubled prison have risen by more than a quarter – with nearly one attack every day. HMP Lewes had just under 300 assaults in the 12 months to March 2024 according to statistics from the Ministry of Justice, nearly 70 more than the same period the previous year. It comes as the prison continues to battle problems with drug smuggling, self-harm among inmates and crumbling infrastructure.
Nationally jails face serious overcrowding issues. The new MoJ figures show 295 assaults were recorded in HMP Lewes in the year to March 2024. The figure represents one assault every 30 hours and 47 minutes on average.
Of these, 80 assaults were on staff while 212 were prisoner on prisoner. Three others involved officers and visitors. The figures are a 30 per cent increase on the same period in 2023 when 226 assaults were recorded.
The increase is broadly in line with national trends which show assaults have risen by 27 per cent. The figures come as new Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood admitted that prisons are “in crisis”. HMP Lewes once again received a scathing report in its annual inspection earlier this year.
Inspectors found increasing self-harm among prisoners, rampant drug abuse and crumbling infrastructure. Two prisoners died of substance abuse in the 12 months to May while 210 of the prison’s 578 inmates had carried out over 600 acts of self-harm in same period. The report also found that drugs were being taken into the prison by drones and thrown over the prison walls.
Twenty eight per cent of prisoners at HMP Lewes tested positive for drugs. Shabana Mahmood said: "Our prisons are in crisis, leading to endemic violence and harm behind bars. "These statistics reveal what is really happening inside jails today, and why we had no choice but to act.
"This government will always protect the public, lock up dangerous offenders and make prisons safe for prisoners and the brave staff who work there.".
