‘WINCHESTER Prison will not be able to improve unless it gets the help it needs.’

Those are the words of prison inspection chiefs following the news that the facility has been placed in special measures.

As previously reported, a spokesman for the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) confirmed action had been taking in a bid to improve the prison.

The Prison Service spokesman said last week: “We are considering a range of options to help HMP Winchester improve, and offer this support to any prison that would benefit from a long term action plan.

“Across the prison estate we are recruiting an extra 2,500 extra officers and have put in place new security measures to tackle drones, phones and drugs, helping make prisons places of safety and reform.”

In December, the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) produced a report revealing that four deaths had been linked to ineffective management of care at the prison, inadequate staffing meant men often have only one hour a day out of their cells, and that the subterranean segregation unit, described as a “dungeon”, was unfit for purpose.

Now, an IBM spokesman has said it has noted a “continued, considerable endeavour against a backdrop of the same insufficient staffing, the prevalence of intoxicating substances and poor environment”.

“Although there have been advances in some areas, [we] consider it is unreasonable to expect the prison to achieve the transformation it is striving for, without help.”

Angus Somerville, IMB chairman, added: “We are pleased that the MOJ has recognised the significant challenges that the prison has been dealing with, and accepted that it needs additional support and resources.”

Since the IMB annual report was published, the MOJ said the prison has introduced body-worn cameras, installed additional CCTV and recruited extra staff.