HM Prison Belmarsh

Last updated

HMP Belmarsh
2017 Thamesmead aerial view 02b.jpg
Aerial view of HM Prison Belmarsh (centre).
To the left is HMP Isis, to the right is HMP Thameside
HM Prison Belmarsh
LocationWestern Way, Thamesmead,
London, SE28 0EB
Security class Adult Male/Category A
Capacity792
Population675(as of August 2021)
Opened1991;33 years ago (1991)
Managed by HM Prison Services
Governor Jenny Louis
Website Belmarsh at justice.gov.uk

His Majesty's Prison Belmarsh is a Category A men's prison in Thamesmead, southeast London, England. The prison is used for high-profile cases, particularly those concerning national security. Within the grounds is the High Security Unit (HSU), which consists of 48 single cells. It is run by His Majesty's Prison Service. The prison has been called "Britain's Guantanamo Bay" due to the long-term detention of terrorism suspects without charge. [1] Considered the toughest prison in the UK, Belmarsh is also notoriously known as "Hellmarsh" due to the high number of physical and authority abuses reported by both the prison's inmates (including former politician Jeffrey Archer, who coined the name and was imprisoned there for four years for perjury), and by human rights activists. [2]

Contents

History

Belmarsh Prison was built on part of the East site of the former Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, and became operational on 2 April 1991. It adjoins Woolwich Crown Court. [3]

In 1991, the Double A Cat prisoner armed robber Ronnie Field, an associate of London gangland boss Joey Pyle, was the first person to be held in Belmarsh's High Security Unit, shortly followed by members of the Arif firm and those convicted of the £10 million Gatwick airport diamond heist. [4]

Between 2001 and 2002, Belmarsh Prison was used to detain a number of people indefinitely without charge or trial under the provisions of Part 4 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, leading it to be called the "British version of Guantanamo Bay". [5] The Law Lords later ruled in A v Secretary of State for the Home Dept that such imprisonment was discriminatory and against the Human Rights Act 1998. [6]

It is often used for the detention of prisoners for terrorist-related offences. In September 2006, 51 such prisoners were held. [7]

In 2009, an archaeological dig on the site led to the discovery of a 6,000-year-old trackway, the oldest known wooden trackway in northern Europe with the exception of the Sweet Track near Glastonbury. [8]

In November 2009, an inspection report from the Chief Inspector of Prisons criticised the "extremely high" amount of force used to control inmates. [9] The report also stated that an unusually high number of prisoners had reported being intimidated or victimised by staff.

In 2010, HMP Isis Young Offenders Institution was opened within the perimeter wall. [10]

The prison today

Car park and main entrance HMP Belmarsh, from carpark.jpg
Car park and main entrance

Belmarsh is a Category A Prison holding inmates from all over England and Wales. It also houses other categories of prisoners from primarily the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) and Magistrates' Courts in South East London as well as Crown and Magistrates' Courts in South West Essex. Accommodation at the prison is a mixture of approximately 60% multi-occupancy cells and 40% single cells, distributed mainly across four residential units. [11]

Inmates at Belmarsh are offered access to education, workshops [11] and two gyms. The gym staff have a partnership with Charlton Athletic F.C. to deliver FA accredited coaching courses for prisoners. [12]

A listener scheme for prisoners at risk from suicide or self-harm is in operation as is a support group providing advice on immigration law for foreign national prisoners. [11]

Notable Governors

Jenny Louis, governor of HM Prison Belmarsh, Britain’s first female black governor accused of bullying staff. The outcome of the investigation and any subsequent actions taken regarding these allegations have not been reported. [13]

Notable inmates

Current inmates

Former inmates

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Wandsworth</span> Mens prison in London, England

HM Prison Wandsworth is a Category B men's prison at Wandsworth in the London Borough of Wandsworth, South West London, England. It is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service and is one of the largest prisons in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Manchester</span> Prison in Manchester, England

HM Prison Manchester is a Category A and B men's prison in Manchester, England, operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. It is still commonly referred to as Strangeways, which was its former official name derived from the area in which it is located, until it was rebuilt following a major riot in 1990.

HM Prison Birmingham is a Category B men's prison in the Winson Green area of Birmingham, England, operated by HM Prison and Probation Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Barlinnie</span> Prison in Riddrie, Glasgow, Scotland

HM Prison Barlinnie is the largest prison in Scotland. It is operated by the Scottish Prison Service and is located in the residential suburb of Riddrie, in the north east of Glasgow, Scotland. It is informally known locally as The Big Hoose, Bar and Bar-L. In 2018, plans for its closure were announced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Frankland</span> Mens prison in County Durham, England

HM Prison Frankland is a Category A men's prison located in the village of Brasside in County Durham, England. Frankland is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service, and is located next to HM Prison Low Newton, a closed women's prison.

HM Prison Low Newton is a closed prison for female adults and young offenders in Brasside, County Durham, England. The prison, which is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service, is next to HMP Frankland, a Category A men's prison. Notable inmates at the prison include formerly Rosemary West, as well as spree killer Joanna Dennehy and serial killer Lucy Letby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Wakefield</span> Prison in West Yorkshire, England

His Majesty's Prison Wakefield is a Category A men's prison in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. The prison has been nicknamed the "Monster Mansion" due to the large number of high-profile, high-risk sex offenders and murderers held there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Wayland</span> Mens prison near Griston, Norfolk, England

HM Prison Wayland is a Category C men's prison, located near the village of Griston in Norfolk, England. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Full Sutton</span> Prison in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England

HM Prison Full Sutton is a Category A and B men's prison in the village of Full Sutton, near Pocklington in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Full Sutton is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service, and holds 596 inmates, as of September 2018. The prison's primary function is to hold, in conditions of high security, some of the most difficult and dangerous criminals in the country.

HM Prison Peterborough is a Category B private prison for men, and a closed prison for women and female young offenders, located in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England. The prison is operated by Sodexo Justice Services, and is the only dual purpose-built prison holding males and females in the United Kingdom. The prison, which has a population of around 1,100 inmates, comprises four large wings, each with a separate housing arrangement for female detainees and male detainees. It is managed by the Newton Secure Training Centre (NSTC), and the associated training centre, which operates under Sodexo Services, comprises 26 housing units, ranging from 12-storey purpose built units to 10-storey semiprivate accommodation units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Styal</span> Womens prison in Styal, England

HM Prison Styal is a Closed Category prison for female adults and young offenders in Styal, Cheshire, England. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Eastwood Park</span> Closed category womens prison

HM Prison Eastwood Park is a women's closed category prison, located in the village of Falfield in South Gloucestershire, England. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Littlehey</span> Prison in Cambridgeshire, England

HM Prison Littlehey is a Category C male prison in the village of Perry near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, England. Littlehey Prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. The Prison only holds those that have been convicted of a sexual offence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Moorland</span> Prison in South Yorkshire, England

HM Prison Moorland is a Category C men's prison and Young Offenders Institution, near Hatfield Woodhouse in South Yorkshire, England. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service, and is jointly managed with the nearby Hatfield Prison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Rye Hill</span>

HM Prison Rye Hill is a Category B men's private prison, operated by G4S. Rye Hill has exclusively housed sex offenders since 2014. The prison is next to HMP Onley and Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre, south of Rugby, in the parish of Barby, Northamptonshire, England. However, the postal address of the prison is Willoughby, Warwickshire; therefore, most sources list the prison as in Willoughby, Warwickshire.

HMP New Hall is a closed-category prison for female adults, juveniles, and young offenders. The prison is located in the village of Flockton in West Yorkshire, England. New Hall is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison La Moye</span> Prison in Jersey

HM Prison La Moye is a mixed-use prison on the island of Jersey. La Moye is currently Jersey's only prison, and is situated within the boundaries of the Vingtaine de la Moye. It is operated by the Jersey Prison Service, part of the Department of Home Affairs.

Dispersal prisons are five secure prisons in the United Kingdom that houses Category A prisoners. The idea of the dispersal prison was initiated after a report submitted by Earl Mountbatten in 1966 after some notorious prison escapes. It was decided that special secure units should be built to enable the allocation of Category A prisoners to them, but to also allow the prison authorities the option to 'disperse' a prisoner to one of the other units at short notice. Whilst seven secure units were intended, the actual number has fluctuated over the years with a core selection of five still remaining.

Kevan Thakrar is an English prisoner who has spent over a decade in solitary confinement in Close Supervision Centres (CSCs) in various UK prisons. Thakrar received a sentence of life imprisonment with a minimum term of 35 years under joint enterprise in 2008, after an incident in which he and his brother Miran entered a house in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, then Miran murdered three men. Whilst incarcerated, Thakrar attacked three prison officers and was acquitted by a jury after being charged with attempted murder. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment raised concerns about Thakrar's treatment in 2021 and Thakrar was subsequently moved into a segregated ward at HMP Belmarsh. He remains in the CSC system and launched a judicial review in April 2023.

References

  1. ↑ Wikileaks-Sponsored ‘States of Violence’ Exhibition
  2. ↑ "In Belmarsh Prison: Radicalization or De-radicalization?". Pulitzer Center. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  3. ↑ "Law Courts and Courtrooms 1: The Buildings of the Criminal Law". Historic England. 1 August 2016. p. 12. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  4. ↑ Field, Ronnie; Knight, Martin (2024). Nefarious: The Gripping True Story of a Life in Crime with Notorious London Gangsters including Joey Pyle, the Krays and Freddie Foreman. HarperCollins. p. 211.
  5. ↑ "Belmarsh – Britain's Guantanamo Bay?". BBC News. 6 October 2004. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  6. ↑ "Data". The Times Online. Archived from the original on 8 February 2007. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  7. ↑ Tony McNulty Written Answers, 8 September 2006 col. 1701W Home Department – Terrorism
  8. ↑ Anon (12 August 2009). "London's earliest timber structure found during Belmarsh prison dig". physorg.com News. PhysOrg.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  9. ↑ "'High levels' of force at prison". BBC News. 27 November 2009. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  10. ↑ "HMP/YOI Isis – improving prison with many young men which must address violence and force".
  11. 1 2 3 "Belmarsh Prison". 2 August 2022.
  12. ↑ "CACT Over 25 Years". cact.org.uk. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  13. ↑ Hymas, Charles (19 January 2023). "Belmarsh prison governor accused of bullying staff". The Telegraph . Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  14. ↑ "Ali Harbi Ali appears at Old Bailey over murder of Conservative MP Sir David Amess". Sky News. 22 October 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  15. ↑ "Sir David Amess: Man found guilty of murdering MP". BBC News . 11 April 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  16. ↑ Kirk, Tristan (14 July 2021). "Motorist admits killing two people in Romford pile-up". Evening Standard . Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  17. ↑ Rowlands, Saskia; Perrin, Ben (29 October 2023). "Rapist police officer 'beaten black and blue' spends 23-hours-a-day in jail cell". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  18. ↑ Casciani, Dominic (28 October 2015). "Soho nail bomber David Copeland sentenced for prison attack". BBC News .
  19. ↑ "Sgt Matiu Ratana shooting: Killer Louis De Zoysa will never be freed". BBC News. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  20. ↑ "What happened to the 'Night Stalker' depicted in Manhunt after he was caught by Colin Sutton". inews.com. 30 September 2021.
  21. ↑ "Wembley park killings: Danyal Hussein jailed for life for murdering sisters". BBC News . 28 October 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  22. ↑ Vaughan, Henry (11 September 2023). "Daniel Khalife escaped prison using material which may have been from bed sheets, court hears". Sky News. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  23. ↑ Hill, Patrick (26 November 2016). "Serial killer Stephen Port's jail letters include boasts of bedding TV star". Daily Mirror .
  24. ↑ "Southport attack accused in court on terror charge". BBC News. 30 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
  25. ↑ "Reading stabbings: Terror suspect Khairi Saadallah appears at Old Bailey". BBC News . 1 July 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  26. ↑ Scheerhout, John (23 March 2020). "Fights, revenge and jihadi neighbours - what life is like for Arena killer Hashem Abedi in Britain's toughest prison". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  27. ↑ "Manchester attack plotter Hashem Abedi refusing to participate in prison deradicalisation programme". ITV News. 28 July 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  28. ↑ "Michael Adebolajo 'attacked in jail'". BBC News. 18 July 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  29. ↑ "Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale plead not guilty to Woolwich". London Evening Standard. 27 September 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  30. ↑ "Lee Rigby killer Michael Adebowale in hospital with Covid-19". BBC News. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  31. ↑ 1999: Liar Aitken jailed for 18 months BBC News
  32. ↑ "Abu Hamza: from Soho bouncer to hook-handed cleric of hate." The Daily Telegraph . 10 April 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  33. ↑ De Simone, Daniel (3 February 2020). "Sudesh Amman: Who was the Streatham attacker?". BBC News. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rajani, Deepika (10 July 2020). "HMP Belmarsh inmates: from Tommy Robinson to Ian Huntley, the high-profile convicts detained at the London prison". inews. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  35. ↑ Rebaza, Claudia; Siad, Arnaud; Britton, Bianca (13 April 2019). "British MPs urge government to extradite Julian Assange to Sweden". CNN . Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  36. ↑ "Priti Patel, hear this loud and clear: Julian Assange must not be handed over to the US | Duncan Campbell". The Guardian . 10 May 2022.
  37. ↑ "Radical preacher Anjem Choudary to stand trial on terror charges". BBC News. 28 August 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  38. ↑ "Sarah Everard murder: Wayne Couzens given whole-life sentence". BBC News. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  39. ↑ "Richard Huckle filmed himself abusing children and shared videos and pictures with fellow paedophiles on the dark web". Sky News. 1 June 2016.
  40. ↑ "Prolific Paedophile Gets 22 Life Sentences". Sky News. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  41. ↑ Evans, Martin; Bird, Steve; Wilford, Greg (30 November 2019). "Who was Usman Khan? The attacker who hoodwinked authorities to fulfil his terrorism dream of targeting London". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  42. ↑ "Ex-inmate MP condemns UK prisons". BBC News. 12 August 2014.
  43. ↑ Cobain, Ian; Taylor, Matthew (23 November 2016). "Far-right terrorist Thomas Mair jailed for life for Jo Cox murder". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  44. ↑ Aspden, Kester (6 December 2019). "The making of a bedsit Nazi: who was the man who killed Jo Cox?". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  45. ↑ Quadri, Sami (2 May 2023). "Prison worker 'suspended for kissing Zara Aleena's killer'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  46. ↑ "Zara Aleena's killer Jordan McSweeney leaves sentence appeal hearing". BBC News. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  47. ↑ Ross, Alice (27 June 2017). "Finsbury Park accused Darren Osborne appears at Old Bailey". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  48. ↑ "Darren Osborne jailed for life for Finsbury Park terrorist attack". The Guardian. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  49. ↑ "Finsbury Park mosque attacker fears eye loss after prison stabbing". BBC News. 11 September 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  50. ↑ Moore, Steven (29 December 2020). "Essex lorry deaths: Truck driver Mo Robinson 'haunted' by memory of his crime". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  51. ↑ Pennink, Emily (18 November 2021). "Migrant deaths driver to sell 4×4 and watch to compensate victims' families". Evening Standard. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  52. ↑ Norton-Taylor, Richard (15 March 2007). "Renegade ex-MI6 officer will not be prosecuted". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 March 2021.

51°29′47″N0°05′34″E / 51.4964°N 0.0929°E / 51.4964; 0.0929

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.