Prison illegally detaining inmates after release date put in special measures
The watchdog said data from the prison showed 130 inmates – 20% of those eligible for release – had been held illegally after their release date in the last six months.
The watchdog described HMP Pentonville as an 'overcrowded, inner-city, Victorian prison with a record of poor performance' (PA)
The backlog in sentencing calculations also meant 10 prisoners had been released early 'in error' between July 2024 and June 2025.
In a letter to the Justice Secretary, the chief inspector said arrangements for new prisoners' first night at the north London jail and induction were 'chaotic and even frightening'.
Men were held in dirty cells missing bedding, furniture, telephones and pillows, the watchdog said, while the majority of prisoners were locked in their cells for more than 22 hours a day.
The report also said 60% of prisoners were sharing cells that were designed for one person, many living areas were dirty and there was a widespread infestation of mice and cockroaches.
Inspectors took emergency action after they found care of vulnerable prisoners under constant supervision was 'shockingly poor', with one prison officer found asleep, two were reading books and another was 'completely absent'.
The 'unacceptable practices' in looking after these prisoners, deemed at serious risk of self-harm, were a particular concern for inspectors given three suicides at the jail in 2025.
Mr Taylor said: 'Pentonville is an overcrowded, inner-city, Victorian prison with a record of poor performance over many years.
'Too many of its staff have become disillusioned about the possibility of improvement or their capacity to affect change. Yet many of its shocking failures are firmly within the control of leaders.
'The governor will need significant support and investment from HM Prison and Probation Service to strengthen his senior leadership team, re-focus on the basics, and put in place effective oversight and assurance systems to turn this failing prison around.'
A survey of prisoners also revealed 44% told inspectors they felt unsafe at the time of inspection, which the watchdog said was the highest figure recorded during his tenure as chief inspector.
Pentonville is the 10th prison to be issued with an urgent notification since November 2022, following Exeter, Cookham Wood Young Offender Institution, Woodhill, Bedford, Wandsworth, Rochester, Manchester and Winchester prisons.
The emergency measure was introduced in 2017 as a way to raise immediate concerns following an inspection, which requires a response and action plan by the Justice Secretary within 28 days.
Elsewhere, the inspector's report also found when releases were planned, 23% of those prisoners were homeless on the day they were released, and very few had employment on release.
Reacting to the urgent notification, Prison Reform Trust chief executive Pia Sinha said: 'Prisoners illegally held after they should have been released, or others released early in error, further undermine effective sentence planning and erode public confidence.
'This urgent notification must be a rallying cry for immediate action – fix the failing infrastructure, improve staff training, and treat prisoners with dignity.'
Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, said the findings of the inspection were 'outrageous' and represent a 'new low' for an overcrowded public service on the brink of collapse.
He added: 'While the Government inherited a dire state of affairs in prisons, it has had more than a year to bring about change.
'As report cards go, such a dire account of dysfunction in Pentonville instils little confidence that ministers have a grip of the situation.'
Prisons minister Lord James Timpson said he visited the prison on Thursday, where the team is already working to urgently address the concerns raised by the chief inspector.
An action plan will also be published in the coming weeks to support the efforts.
Lord Timpson said: 'This Government will end the chaos we inherited in our jails.
'We are building 14,000 new prison places and reforming sentencing so our jails reduce reoffending, cut crime, and keep victims safe.'
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Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Stephen Lawrence's father pleads with one of the thugs who murdered his son to reveal the names of the other gang members involved in the attack
The father of Stephen Lawrence has issued a heartfelt plea for one of his son's killers to reveal the names of all those responsible - as the convicted murderer is set to make a bid for his freedom. David Norris, 48, had always denied being involved in the 1993 murder of the teenager. But in March, it was revealed that Norris had a change of heart and 'accepted he was present at the scene.' He also admitted to punching the 18-year-old, but claimed he did not 'wield the knife' during the fatal stabbing incident at a bus stop in Eltham, south-east London, on April 22, 1993. Only Norris and Gary Dobson, 49, two of the original five prime suspects, were convicted in connection with Stephen's killing. Both were found guilty under the law of joint enterprise, which allows people to be convicted of murder even if they did not inflict the fatal blow. It has never been proven who stabbed Stephen, who suffered two knife wounds, or whether more than one knife was used. Now ahead of Norris' public parole hearing next week, Neville Lawrence, 83, is urging the killer to reveal exactly what happened on that fateful day. Speaking to The Mirror, Mr Lawrence said: 'My message to him would be, 'You have served so many years in prison, you've known what you did was wrong and you refused to give the information in the early days about all the other boys that were involved. David Norris (pictured) had always denied his involvement in the 1993 murder until earlier this year. The convicted murderer is set to make a bid for his freedom at a public parole hearing 'I need you to say exactly who was there with you that night because we now know that you were there'. He added that it felt 'unfair' if Norris succeeds in his parole, because he will be able to walk out of prison and live his 'everyday' life again. Mr Lawrence said: 'My son will never be able to do that because he's dead and it's because of these people that robbed me of my son.' In March, Parole Board vice chair Peter Rook KC announced Norris had changed his stance on his involvement. 'Recent reports now suggest he has accepted he was present at the scene and punched the victim but claims that he did not wield the knife. 'He does not accept he holds racist views.' In a major victory for the Mail and the Lawrence family, Norris' parole hearing will be heard in public. Norris fought against such an application from this newspaper, arguing that having the hearing in the open to do so would increase the risk to his safety. But Mr Rook ruled that his case should be made in public, and in his judgement quoted extensively from an application made by the Mail which argued that without press scrutiny it is unlikely that Stephen's killers would have faced justice. Five men were initially arrested over the murder, in Eltham, southeast London, with Norris, 16 at the time, and Gary Dobson, 16 then but 49 now, only brought to justice after a belated forensic breakthrough. Both were given life sentences in 2012. It followed a lengthy campaign from the Mail to secure justice for Stephen, including a 1997 front page in which Norris was named as one of his killers. The application to the Parole Board also quoted from a recent interview with Stephen's father, Neville, in which the 82-year-old said he would be willing to accept Norris's release from prison if he apologised and showed he was a changed man. The Mail argued that a public hearing would provide the killer with the platform to properly express remorse for his actions. The Lawrence family supported a public hearing but lawyers for Norris argued that the murderer, who has been diagnosed with PTSD, would suffer from 'emotional stress' should a hearing be held in public. They also argued that it would increase the risk to his safety within the prison estate, given he has been attacked three times while incarcerated, and that he would be incapable of giving his 'best evidence' should his remarks be made public. But Mr Rook found that the case remained of public importance because of its impact on policing, that it was accepted that not all those involved have been brought to justice and that the public will be interested to know whether Norris now accepts his responsibility for Stephen's murder. The criminal justice system had clearly failed with regard to this case at earlier stages, he said, with the subsequent MacPherson report into the investigation making multiple recommendations still relevant today. 'There is a clear public interest in seeing the Parole Review conducted in a proper judicial manner with evidence-based decisions on risk,' Mr Rook said. Norris's time in prison has not been without issues that will likely count against him when the panel makes its decision. He was caught illegally using a smartphone in jail in 2022, which he used to take a sickening selfie from his cell on Dartmoor's E wing, which houses supposedly well-behaved inmates. The phone was recovered from his body after he was X-rayed and a police investigation into how he obtained the device was launched. A date is yet to be set for the hearing. Stephen's father called on Norris to name his son's other killers and tell the truth about what happened on the night of his murder for the first time. During an interview from his home in Jamaica in March, Mr Lawrence thanked the Daily Mail for its fight to ensure his parole hearing would be heard in public. 'Thank you to the Daily Mail for doing this service for us,' he said. 'Without your appeal this would have stayed behind closed doors.' Mr Lawrence added: 'If he's going to make a statement the public will hopefully finally hear everything that happened. 'He knows who was there with him. 'And he has been in prison for all this time so it's his chance to say it wasn't just him alone, there were others with him. And name them. 'I don't think he's going to do that but that's what I want him to do. 'This is his chance to come clean and confess to what happened that night.' Mr Lawrence said he planned to attend the hearing and his solicitor would read a statement outlining the effect Stephen's murder has had on the family. 'He's going to be able to walk away and live the rest of his life if he behaves himself. 'Stephen can't do that,' he said. 'I feel if someone is lucky enough to have that chance for parole they should have to say I'm sorry, I'll never get into trouble again and they should have to admit what they did. 'If he admits it and said how sorry he was and he names the other people I could accept him coming out. 'No one who was there that night has ever told the truth about what happened or even admitted the fact that they were there. 'If he does do that it will be the first time. 'If he admits he was there and caused my son to lose his life I would accept what happened and it would make it seem to me he was a changed person but if he just says nothing I can't accept [his release].'
BBC News
8 hours ago
- BBC News
Murdered Aamir Siddiqi's sister tells suspect 'you're not really free'
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Her younger brother Aamir thought he was opening the door to a teacher when he was stabbed to death in a frenzied drug-fuelled attack by contract killers Jason Richards and Ben two heroin addicts were paid £1,000 to kill an innocent businessman and father-of-four who lived in a neighbouring street in Cardiff in an act of revenge over a property deal that turned in what the prosecution described as "staggering incompetence", Richards and Hope went to the wrong house in the Roath area of the Welsh capital. The bright, ambitious student, who wanted to read law at Cardiff University, had turned down a game of football with his mates and was revising for his A-level exams upstairs at his home when the doorbell rang. Aamir innocently answered his door expecting to see his local imam for a Koran lesson but was confronted by two balaclava-clad knifemen fuelled up on heroin who pushed their way in and stabbed him to death before he could say a and Hope were sentenced to life and ordered to serve a minimum of 40 years each in jail for killing Aamir in April 2010, but the man who detectives suspect ordered the contract killing fled the country. Ege, suspected of conspiracy to commit murder, was arrested in India in after a six-year extradition process, he went back on the run by escaping through a railway station toilet window and now eight years later is believed to be in the Middle East."He's not truly free," Nishat told the BBC Sounds podcast Making Of A Fugitive."He's on the run, always looking over his shoulder, always worried about whether or not he's going to slip up."South Wales Police have previously offered a £10,000 reward for any information that may lead to the arrest of the fugitive known as Wales' most wanted man. "If you're innocent, you've got nothing to fear and you should come back home to clear your name," added consultant cardiologist Nishat, 48."You might think you're free because you escaped from police custody and have been on the run for years, but you've condemned yourself to a life of exile on the run, far from home."Nishat, who is 16 years older than Aamir, also hopes her appeal on Making Of A Fugitive may urge someone to shop Ege to the authorities."Somebody somewhere might listen," she said. "If they know something and if they feel in their heart of hearts that they really ought to speak up then maybe this might inspire them to do just that."As a family we have suffered the kind of grief, shock and horror that never really leaves you. And in a weird way he's living that with us because he's not truly free." Nishat still keeps her younger brother's wallet, reads his social media posts and keeps in touch with his old friends, like best mate Saeed Kidwai. On the day he was murdered, Saeed had asked Aamir to play five-a-side football but he chose to stay home to study for his A-level exams later that summer."I remember the match finished at 1:40pm and I later found out he passed away at 1:40pm," he one of the sliding door "what if" moments that haunt Aamir's family and was the end of the school term and Saeed recalled: "Just before he left he went around to a lot of the boys and he was like 'oh boys let me take a selfie with you because that'll be the last time I see you probably before I go to university'." Saeed did not have a picture, adding: "I was like 'I'll see you on the weekend or something'."I never thought in like a million years that would be the last time I'd see him," he said."I feel I've had a whole chapter of my life, graduating and getting married but my wife has never met him, my son will never meet him. How do I keep that memory alive?"Saeed took his baby son to meet Aamir's parents Iqbal and Parveen, who were also injured in the attack."His mum was so affectionate and loving and his dad just held him for ages and it was really emotional for me to see," recalled Saeed. "I thought this doesn't feel real. I still feel like I'm 17 or 18 in my heart and I'm still waiting for him to pop around the corner," he said."His number is still the first number I have in my phone book, because it's two A's in his first name. I still can't delete family love seeing his old friends grow into adults with families of their own and careers."It's so wonderful to see," said Nishat. "It also makes me so feel so sad because that should have been my brother as well."Aamir's family found it hard to remain living in the same house after his death and they've since left Cardiff."We kept his clothes in his cupboard, his toys, everything for months on end," said Nishat. "We even put on one of his jumpers because it smelt of him."There's a photograph of Aamir when he was enjoying his second birthday party, drinking some squash, and he's standing at the exact spot where he died."That's probably why we found it hard to live in the house again because the house was full of very happy memories."South Wales Police praised the dignity of Aamir's family throughout such a traumatic ordeal and said they remain committed to tracing and arresting Ege."We would ask anyone who has information about his whereabouts to please get in touch – for Aamir's family," the police statement any of the issues in this copy have affected you, details of help and advice are available on the BBC Action Line website.
Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Tiny sum Hatton Garden heist crooks have paid back from their £14MILLION ill-gotten gains in past 3 years revealed
PRICE OF THE HEIST Tiny sum Hatton Garden heist crooks have paid back from their £14MILLION ill-gotten gains in past 3 years revealed Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FIVE villains from the 'Diamond Wheezers' Hatton Garden heist gang have paid back just £8k each of their £14 million ill-gotten gains over the last three years. Six robbers were filmed removing wheelie bins full of gold and jewels over the 2015 Easter weekend in what became one of the biggest raids of the 21st century. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Crooks from left: Daniel Jones, Terry Perkins and Brian Reader Credit: PA:Press Association Now new Freedom of Information figures released to The Sun on Sunday show five of the robbers - two of whom have since died - have made repayments of just £8,000 each. That's the equivalent of a paltry £40,000 in total over the last three years with the CPS confirming 'hidden assets' remain outstanding in the case with the court deeming the defendants know where they are. Previously, lookout John 'Kenny Collins, 84, returned £1,347,436.43 (or £1.35million) of the £7.6 million he trousered from the raid. But since 2022 progress has been slow with only £8,000 extra being handed over. After being freed in late 2018 having served less than half of a seven-year sentence he was sent back to jail in 2019 for a further seven years for refusing to hand back his share of the heist. While alarm expert Michael Seed, 65, has coughed up just £55,222 from a whopping £5.6 million he pocketed from the robbery. Again, an increase of just £8k since 2022. He was originally jailed for ten years in March 2019 but was handed a further six-and-a-half year jail term in 2023 for failing to pay back his loot. Ringleader Danny Jones, 70, played by Ray Winstone and Phil Daniels in two films, has paid back just £646,788.61 of the near £6.2 million he owes. He has also returned an additional £8,000 over the last three years – but nothing more. Hatton Garden raider blames 'mastermind' for the gang getting caught and claims he 'abandoned them' when heist didn't go to plan Originally sentenced to seven years he was given an extra six years and 287 days for failing to pay back the millions he made from the raid but was released in February 2022. Fellow raiders, Brian Reader and Terry Perkins, who have both since died, also made derisory £8k payments each over the last three years. Mastermind Reader, played by Michael Caine in one of several movies about the burglary, succumbed to cancer in 2023, aged 83. He had paid back £513,766.99 of a £6.1 million proceeds of crime demand. Perkins died of heart failure in his jail cell at Belmarsh in February 2018. He paid back just £387, 772.31 of his almost £6.5 million criminal benefit from the raid. A Crown Prosecution Service spokeswoman, said: 'No convicted criminal should profit from their crimes and the Hatton Garden burglars have paid back more than £3 million of what they stole. 'We have taken four of the burglars back to court after they failed to pay their full orders, resulting in three of them receiving significant additional jail time. 'While all UK assets have now been realised, we continue our work with partner agencies to trace the proceeds of this crime and go after any remaining hidden assets.' 7 Hatton Garden heist gang lookout John 'Kenny' Collins Credit: PA:Press Association 7 The robbery at Hatton Garden Safety Deposit vault Credit: Ray Collins - The Sun 7 Inside the vault in Hatton Garden Credit: Dan Jones - The Sun 7 The huge hole drilled by the gang to ransack the safe deposit Credit: EPA 7 The vault door at the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Credit: PA:Press Association
