Guards outside jail to stop phone ‘drops’

A PRISON has stationed guards outside its perimeter walls in a bid to stop drugs and mobile phones being thrown into the grounds.

The measure adopted at Swansea was revealed in a highly critical inspection report that raised concerns over violence, overcrowding and self-harm at the jail.

HM Inspectorate of Prisons flagged up how the inner city location of the jail presented a heightened risk of contraband being thrown in.

The assessment noted that some “useful initiatives” had been introduced to try to minimise this risk, including positioning staff outside the perimeter wall during “peak movement times”, additions to physical security and positive working arrangements with the local police and community.

Just last month, David Lidington, the Justice Secretary, warned highly organised smuggling gangs were targeting prisons to exploit a “captive market”.

At the time of the inspection last August, HMP Swansea was overcrowded, with 458 men in accommodation certified to hold 268.