USE OF SPICE ALSO ON RISE

Reporter HMP Frankland inmates subjected staff to ‘dirty protests’ lasting up to TWO months.

The notorious North East jail, home to Ian Huntley and ‘Yorkshire Ripper’ Peter Sutcliffe, had two dozen kick-offs in 2017 in its segregated unit.

And a report has revealed the prison smoking ban may have inadvertently sparked an increase in lags taking spice.

“(The) mental health team has seen an increase in new psychoactive substances since Frankland became a non-smoking prison,” states the report, although it stated the link wasn’t “conclusive”.

‘Lifers’ at the jail include Levi Bellfield and Sean Mercer. However inspectors found some were initially “reluctant” to engage with the smoking ban.

“They were dubious about the implementation rationale and benefits,” adds the Independent Monitoring Board report.

“But Frankland is now a compliant non-smoking prison despite prisoner reluctance.”

Inspectors praised staff for keeping order inside the Durham Category A prison - dubbed ‘Monster Mansion’ - despite understaffing.

Figures show a major spike in violence in 2017. Staff are now wearing bodycams to help combat it.

Health staff are also getting transgender training while elderly inmates may soon get a stairlift following a successful funding bid.

However it also flagged up some of the biggest gripes inmates had - especially “dirt and torn” bedding.

Checks revealed a quarter of all sheets were not fit for purpose, and the report added: “Complaints continue to be made, on a regular basis, about the poor quality of the cleaning and condition of the sheets particularly returned to the prison.”

The watchdog also found hardened lags were moaning about growing waiting times between visits.

The report found the delays were adding “considerably to anxiety and stress levels” for inmates.

Almost 40% of inmates inside the jail, located near Brasside village, are registered disabled, and over a third aged over 50.

Lags are able to ask for walking frames, wedge pillows - and even thermal underwear - to make them more comfy.

Inspectors lavished praise on the quality of the food being cooked by inmates - as well as the goods being manufactured inside.

“The setting up of the social enterprise scheme provided real work opportunities with the chance to learn new and associated skills,” adds the report.

“Not only are high quality goods being produced in the prison – greeting cards, gift bags, boxes and tags and wooden products – but they are then sold to the general public in retail outlets in local prison visitor centres and coffee shops.”