Two inmates die at same prison in less than a week

TWO inmates have died at HMP Parc Prison in Bridgend in less than a week.

A spokesman for the Category B prison said the two deaths were not connected and happened on separate days.

Circumstances around the deaths – which happened in the evening of Sunday, November 18, and on the morning of Thursday, November 22 – and the identities of the deceased have not yet been disclosed, but an independent investigation is underway.

Director of HM Prison Parc, Janet Wallsgrove, said: “I can confirm that two prisoners have passed away at HM Prison Parc on separate days in the last week.

“We have informed their families and next of kin and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.

”As with all deaths in custody, there will be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.”

In June, a prisoner was found dead in his cell at HM Parc Prison, with paramedics being called and CPR attempted but the prisoner being pronounced dead.

The men’s prison houses around 1,336 male adults (convicted only) and young adults, both convicted and on remand.

The facility is managed by G4s on behalf of the prison service, and is the only private prison in Wales.

It was ranked 11 worst out of the UK’s 117 jails earlier this year.

Earlier this month it was revealed that Parc’s Young Offender Institutions had the highest rate of self-harm incidents out of five comparable institutions in Wales and England.

The figures, published by Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre, showed a total of 64 incidents took place in 2017.