A notorious British criminal is serving his sentence in an infamous UK prison teeming with "human misery".
Charles Bronson, 71, who has spent more than 50 years behind bars, is currently serving time in the Alcatraz-style HMP Woodhill. Recently, we reported how he is said to have hit murderer Robert Donaldson with two hooks and two uppercuts when the killer attempted to attack him at a wing of the category A prison, in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. A Prison Service spokesperson told The Mirror: “We do not tolerate violence in prisons and anyone who breaks the rules will be punished. It would be inappropriate to comment further while investigations are ongoing.”
Designed especially to house some of the UK's more dangerous and violent offenders, the category A prison has been open since 1992 and has seen its fair share of hardened criminals pass through its doors. One infamous inmate is Soham killer Ian Huntley, who was convicted of murdering Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2003. Shortly after, he attempted to end his own life within one of the cells of Woodhill.
Soon after the prison was expanded and more units added, supposedly specifically designed to prevent inmates from being able to make weapons in their cells, director-general of the Prison Service, Richard Tilt at the time told the BBC: "There is a need to address the problem of prisoners who are continually disruptive or provide a consistent danger to staff and other inmates."
HMP Woodhill houses some of the country's most notorious criminals and has a history of violence within its walls (ITV News Anglia)However, in the three years between 2013 and 2016, a total of 17 prisoners serving time at Woodhill took their own lives - that is compared to seven deaths in the same period at Britain's largest prison, HMP Wandsworth, which holds three times as many prisoners. A report at the time found prisoners were spending around 23 hours a day in their cells.
Gangsters ‘call for ceasefire’ after deadly Christmas Eve pub shooting
Chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, Frances Crook, said at the time: "The number of people dying by suicide in prison has reached epidemic proportions. No one should be so desperate while in the care of the state that they take their own life, and yet every three days a family is told that a loved one has died behind bars.
"Cutting staff and prison budgets while allowing the number of people behind bars to grow unchecked has created a toxic mix of violence, death and human misery."
HMP Woodhill was designed to host the most dangerous of criminals but has had problems from the very start (PA)With dwindling staff numbers and an ever-growing population, last year inspectors called for HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes to be put into emergency measures as attacks on officers were alarmingly high. Responding to the situation, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk announced plans to transfer certain inmates to different prisons while focusing on recruiting more staff. He emphasized his serious consideration of the issues regarding violence and staffing levels. The prison was also found to be unclean and "filthy" in some areas, as well as having damaged cells.
In a statement at the time, a spokesperson for HM Inspectorate of Prisons said: "There were high levels of violence and drug use at the jail, which holds category A prisoners in addition to its role as a category B trainer. In a survey of prisoners, 71% said they had felt unsafe and inspectors found at least 26 who were self-isolating in their cells in fear for their safety."
Last year, the prison was put into 'emergency measure' in an effort to curb violence behind its walls (HMP Woodhill)HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, said: "Woodhill had the highest rate of serious assaults on staff, as well as levels of self-harm among male prisoners. Woodhill is a complex, high-risk prison, holding prisoners convicted of serious offences; it simply cannot operate effectively with such chronic staff shortages. Urgent support is needed from HMPPS to help Woodhill and other establishments to develop credible, long-term plans that improve staff recruitment, and, crucially, staff retention."
Earlier this year, HMP Woodhill made headlines for concerning reasons when the prison's ombudsman discovered staff negligence in properly checking on an inmate who was found dead in his cell. Anil Gill, serving a life sentence for murdering his wife, was discovered deceased on July 31, 2022.
During the morning roll call that day, his cell panel had been blocked and his door blocked with staff unable to enter the cell or get eyes on the individual - but it was ignored. He was found dead just 30 minutes later and the governor has since implemented measures to prevent such incidents in the future, emphasizing the importance of staff compliance and understanding.=
Following Charles Bronson's recent violent incident, his further requests for parole are likely to be affected. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson emphasized a zero-tolerance policy towards prison violence, saying: “We do not tolerate violence in prisons and anyone who breaks the rules will be punished. It would be inappropriate to comment further while investigations are ongoing.”
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
