‘Drug deaths prison did not have scanner’

FIVE inmates died of suspected drug overdoses in eight months at a jail after scanning equipment was sent to a different prison, a watchdog says.

The machines help prevent illegal substances being smuggled in.

The report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons said bosses at HMP Durham were “immensely frustrated” that they had no modern technology to assist their drugs strategy.

Prisons Minister Rory Stewart said: “We are determined to install full airport-style security... to detect drugs.

“We will install the technology in Durham and roll it out across our prisons.”