HMP Highpoint near Newmarket criticised by watchdog

HMP Highpoint, in Stradishall near Newmarket, was visited by the HM Inspectorate of Prisons in October last year.

In a now-published report, the Category C prison, which has about 1,300 male inmates and is spread over two sites, was criticised as falling short in its aim as a training and resettlement prison.

The watchdog found drugs and other contraband "were easily available" and linked to violence, debt and bullying – while steps to combat this "were neither comprehensive nor well-coordinated".

The entrance to HMP Highpoint in west Suffolk (Image: Newsquest)

Other priority concerns were on the quality and quantity of support available to prisoners and a lack of inmates achieving external qualifications.

The HM Inspectorate of Prisons also found some inmates were self-isolating as they felt "unsafe" and said there was a "limited" amount of support for foreign nationals.

Almost half of the population of the prison were "presenting a high or very high risk of harm to others" at the time of the inspection.

However, the report did say the prison was "well-led, orderly, and safe" and the governor had "created a positive culture that encouraged good behaviour through collective and meaningful rewards".

Last October, Suffolk police said it would increase the number of patrols around HMP Highpoint due to an increase in the number of 'throw-overs' at the prison.

HM Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor, who authored the report, said: "Many of our recent inspections have highlighted the importance of keeping men purposefully occupied in reducing the demand for drugs, and Highpoint was no different.

HM Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor (Image: Jeff Overs/BBC)

"With such a large, rural campus covering two prisons, keeping drugs out was challenging and the demand was fuelled by the lack of activity.

"Inspectors also met a number of men who had been self-isolating for extended periods out of fear for their safety – one of whom had not left his cell in a month.

"The prison needed to do much more to develop a more coherent and robust approach to tackling the ingress of drugs, the demand for them and their consequences."

A Prison Service spokesman said: "We are pleased inspectors recognised the efforts of our hardworking staff and leadership at HMP Highpoint and found the prison to be orderly and safe.

"We are working closely with the education provider to improve learning and training opportunities so prisoners are able to get the skills and qualifications they need to turn their lives around."