HM Prison Littlehey is a
Category C male prison in the village of
Perry
Perry, also known as pear cider, is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally the perry pear. It has been common for centuries in England, particularly in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire. It is also made ...
near
Huntingdon
Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver Cromwell was born there ...
in Cambridgeshire, England. Littlehey Prison is operated by
His Majesty's Prison Service. The Prison only holds those that have been convicted of a sexual offence.
History
The site was originally known as
Gaynes Hall Youth Custody Centre, and was used as a
borstal
A Borstal was a type of youth detention centre in the United Kingdom, several member states of the Commonwealth and the Republic of Ireland. In India, such a detention centre is known as a Borstal school.
Borstals were run by HM Prison Service ...
for juvenile males from 1945 to 1983, when the establishment was closed and demolished. Littlehey was built in its place and opened as an integrated Category C prison for adult males in 1988.
In April 2003 an inspection report from
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons is the head of HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the senior inspector of prisons, young offender institutions and immigration service detention and removal centres in England and Wales. The current chief inspe ...
criticised Littlehey Prison for not helping inmates integrate back into society. The report found that "prisoners needed more help with finding jobs and accommodation before their release", but noted positively that the staff had good relationships with the prisoners and were doing better managing the health care of prisoners.
Littlehey is a purpose-built category C prison for adult males. Accommodation at Littlehey comprises eight residential units, two of which are 'Ready to Use' units, one added in 1997 and the second in 2003. Most cells are single occupancy but there are some shared cells.
Littlehey Prison reports that it provides a range of work provision for inmates including accredited vocational training courses in forklift trucks,
carpentry
Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. Carpenters tr ...
,
joiner
A joiner is an artisan and tradesperson who builds things by joining pieces of wood, particularly lighter and more ornamental work than that done by a carpenter, including furniture and the "fittings" of a house, ship, etc. Joiners may work in ...
y, motor mechanics, hospitality and educational. Classes range from basic and key skills to degree level learning.
In January 2010, HMP Littlehey opened a large expansion to its current site to accommodate a population of up to 480 young offenders. This investment has allowed for the addition of four new accommodation blocks, an all-weather sports pitch and a gymnasium, adult learning and kitchen buildings. The regime claims to focus on providing young offenders with a portfolio of skills and qualifications to change their futures. Employability and functional skills are said to be at the centre of the establishment's drive towards reducing re-offending. There is also a Prison Visitor Centre which is operated by the
Ormiston Children and Families Trust
Ormiston Trust is a charitable trust based in London, England. It is a grant-making trust that chiefly assists schools and organisations supporting children and young people.
The trust was established in the memory of Fiona Ormiston Murray who d ...
.
In January 2011, a disturbance at the prison left two prison officers injured.
The prison today
In 2014, the prison was re-categorised to accommodate prisoners convicted of sex offences (falling within category C security level).
A 2015 report from the
Independent Monitoring Board observed that HMP Littlehey had an unusually high population of inmates over the age of 50 (34%). Concerns were raised over the lack of provision for elderly and disabled prisoners, and reports have emerged of inmates struggling with wheelchair access and not receiving support for health problems such as incontinence.
In 2018 it was found that there were serious problems over outstanding maintenance work, 1,300 maintenance jobs were outstanding in January 2018. Some showers had been out of action for two years and some prisoners were without heating for 8 months. Prison officers spent disproportionate time dealing with maintenance problems. Trust between prisoners and staff had broken down because staff could not meet prisoners' basic needs. Andrew Neilson of the
Howard League for Penal Reform
The Howard League for Penal Reform is a registered charity in the United Kingdom. It is the oldest penal reform organisation in the world, named after John Howard. It was founded as the Howard Association in 1866 and changed its name in 1921, ...
, said, "The lamentable conditions in Littlehey are indicative of the pressures that exist in our overburdened and under-resourced prison system. No prison should be allowed to deteriorate in this way, but it is particularly shocking in a jail where around half of the prisoners are over 50 and a significant number are elderly and disabled."
In 2019 HMIP inspected the prison and overall, and despite some criticisms, the report reflects some very good findings and some excellent outcomes for prisoners at Littlehey. The prison had a clearly defined function and held a substantial number of elevated risk men in safe and respectful conditions. Prisoners benefited from a very good daily regime and we saw examples of good practice. Going forward, the prison’s main priorities are to assess and reduce the risks of the prisoners it holds, and to prepare those being released for successful resettlement into the community.
Notable inmates and former inmates
*
Barry Bennell
A child sexual abuse scandal involving the abuse of young players at football clubs in the United Kingdom began in mid-November 2016. The revelations began when former professional footballers waived their rights to anonymity and talked publicly ...
*
Max Clifford
Maxwell Frank Clifford (6 April 1943 – 10 December 2017) was an English publicist who was particularly associated with promoting " kiss and tell" stories in tabloid newspapers.
In December 2012, as part of Operation Yewtree, Clifford was arr ...
(died whilst a prisoner)
*
Stephen Downing
*
Alex Hepburn
Alex Hepburn is an English singer and songwriter. She has released two studio albums, ''Together Alone'' (2013) and ''Things I've Seen'' (2019).
Career
Hepburn released her eponymous debut EP in June 2012. In April 2013, she released her debu ...
*
Tony Jasinskyj – murderer of 13-year-old
Marion Crofts, imprisoned at Littlehey since 2017, may be released in 2022
*
Harry Roberts From 1954–56 he spent 19 months in Gaynes Hall Borstal for assault during a shop robbery. (In August 1966 he, along with two associates, murdered 3 policemen who stopped their car to question him. He was released from prison elsewhere in 2014 after 48 years inside)
* Charles Nall-Cain, 3rd Baron Brocket. , url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Nall-Cain,_3rd_Baron_Brocket,
References
External links
Ministry of Justice pages on Littlehey
{{DEFAULTSORT:Littlehey (Hm Prison)
Prisons in Cambridgeshire
Category C prisons in England
1988 establishments in England
Buildings and structures in Huntingdonshire
Men's prisons