There was not enough focus on the treatment and care of people detained in court cells in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, said Peter Clarke, Chief Inspector of Prisons. Today he published the report of an inspection of court custody facilities in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.

The inspection was part of a series of inspections of court custody carried out by HM Inspectorate of Prisons. At the time of inspection there were six courts that had custody facilities in use and an immigration and asylum hearing centre which had two holding rooms. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) had contracted Serco Wincanton to provide custody and escort facilities for HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) in the two counties.

HMCTS and Serco Wincanton described their strategic relationships as positive but this did not always ensure positive outcomes for detainees held in court custody. All the agencies involved in meetings were aware of the shortcomings of the estate. HMCTS did too little to drive forward improvements and there was not enough focus on the treatment, care and welfare of detainees. Some court delivery managers saw custody as solely the responsibility of Serco Wincanton, which was unacceptable.

Inspectors were concerned to find that:

• there was no formal assessment of detainees’ risks on arrival to ensure they were identified and managed;
• observation levels, particularly for the most vulnerable detainees, were not always conducted at the required frequency;
• many staff did not know about local safeguarding arrangements;
• handcuffs were routinely applied, even on children and where court custody facilities were secure, without an individual risk assessment taking place to justify their use;
• poor prioritisation of court cases contributed to some detainees spending unnecessary periods and sometimes too long in court custody; and
• the cleaning and maintenance contract was not managed effectively and too little had been invested in court custody facilities.

Inspectors were, however, pleased to find that:

• staffing levels were adequate and there was an ongoing commitment to officer training and development; and
• custody staff dealt with detainees professionally and courteously.

Peter Clarke said:

“Overall this was a mixed inspection. We have a number of concerns about safety, risk management, care for the most vulnerable and the physical environment in court custody facilities across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. We have made a number of recommendations to improve the safety and care of people detained in court custody.”

 Notes to editors:

1. Read the report.
2. HM Inspectorate of Prisons is an independent inspectorate, inspecting places of detention to report on conditions and treatment, and promote positive outcomes for those detained and the public.
3. This inspection was carried out from 4-12 May 2016.
4. The courts included: St Alban’s Crown Court, Luton Crown Court, St Alban’s Magistrates’ Court, Hatfield Magistrates’ Court, Luton and South Bedfordshire Magistrates’ Court, Stevenage Magistrates’ Court. Inspectors also visited Yarl’s Wood Immigration and Asylum Chamber.
5. Please contact Jane Parsons in HM Inspectorate of Prisons press office on 020 3681 2775 or 07880 787452 if you would like more information.