Quarter of jail's inmates are 'active drug takers'

60 men left to share just two showers but chief prison inspector says problems are 'easily arrestable'

- DAMON WILKINSON

MORE than a quarter of inmates at a prison are ‘active drug takers’ while levels of violence and self-harm are on the increase, an inspection has found.

HM Inspectorate of Prisons said it found evidence of a ‘slow but perceptible decline’ at HMP Buckley Hall in Rochdale.

The watchdog said despite being just 30 years old, many of the prison buildings were ‘not aging well’. Too many inmates live in cramped conditions and many cells were ‘shabby’ and ‘grubby’.

But chief inspector of prisons, Charlie Taylor, said many of the problems were ‘clearly identifiable and easily arrestable’ adding: “Despite the challenges of recent years our assessments at this inspection remained encouraging.”