HM Prison Wealstun is a
Category C men's
prison
A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, corre ...
, located near the village of
Thorp Arch in
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. The prison is operated by
His Majesty's Prison Service.
History
Wealstun Prison was formed from the almagamation of HMP Thorp Arch and HMP Rudgate on 1 April 1995; both built in 1965, on the site of
ROF Thorp Arch). The amalgamation of two neighbouring establishments was an historic development for the Prison Service, and had the effect of creating a category C closed side and category D
open
Open or OPEN may refer to:
Music
* Open (band), Australian pop/rock band
* The Open (band), English indie rock band
* ''Open'' (Blues Image album), 1969
* ''Open'' (Gotthard album), 1999
* ''Open'' (Cowboy Junkies album), 2001
* ''Open'' ( ...
side within one establishment. A great deal of building development has taken place at the prison in recent years, and has recently been completed.
In June 2003, 20 prisoners were involved in a rooftop protest at Wealstun Prison. The inmates smashed windows and climbed up drainpipes and ledges to the roof of the jail. After 19 hours some of the prisoners came down from the roof, but some of the inmates lasted 30 hours on the roof before surrendering peacefully.
In February 2004, 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 Wealstun Prison for being mouldy, damp and infested with rats. The report made 135 recommendations for improvements at the jail, and stated that in parts of the prison there was no alarm system, basic repairs had been neglected and windows were smashed or missing. However following a more recent inspection, HMP Wealstun was highly praised for the work undertaken there.
In 2008 due to Category C overcrowding problems in the prison service, HMP Wealstun was re-rolled from a Category C/D prison to a wholly Category C prison and as a result the open side of the prison closed, and was converted to provide additional category C accommodation. The new Category C area commenced operation in April 2010.
In August 2010, an unannounced full inspection of the prison by
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 ...
stated that Wealstun "is clearly slipping backwards. The
deterioration in safety is the most obvious example but there is a disturbing sense of lack of grip in other areas too. The issues identified in this report need to be addressed quickly and effectively to prevent them from becoming even more serious." The report also made numerous recommendations.
The prison today
Accommodation at Wealstun includes 15 double-occupancy cells on B Wing. The remainder of the Category C cells are single-occupancy covering 10 wings (A - J Wing).
Wealstun offers
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...
, workshops, training courses,
farms
A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...
and gardens and a works department. The prison has a Listener Scheme (supported by the
Samaritans and prison officers) and a Community Integration Unit and work out scheme. Wealstun is served by Leeds North East
Primary Care Trust, with a part-time medical officer and an on-call facility. HMP Wealstun also has extensive services and provisions in place to help with resettlement and reducing reoffending.
Wealstun has a visitors' centre for use on visiting days, and a modern visiting room is in operation, which has play area facilities and a refreshment counter where food may be purchased. There is a
non-denominational chapel which was dedicated on 1 November 2005.
HMP Wealstun opened fully as a category C establishment in April 2010 after the security building work was completed on the conversion of the category D part of the prison.
Notable former inmates
*
Owen Oyston
Owen John Oyston (born 3 January 1934) is an English former businessman best known as the former majority owner of Blackpool Football Club. Oyston was convicted of rape and indecent assault of a 16-year-old girl in 1996. He served three years and ...
References
External links
Ministry of Justice pages on Wealstun
{{Prisons in Yorkshire and the Humber
Wealstun
Wealstun
1995 establishments in England
Wealstun