HM Prison Bronzefield

HMP Bronzefield

Location	Ashford, Surrey
Status	Operational
Security class	Adult Female/Young Offender
Capacity	5278 (May 2024)
Opened	2004
Managed by	Sodexo Justice Services
Director	Jonathan French

HMP Bronzefield is an adult and young offender female prison located on the outskirts of Ashford in Surrey, England. Bronzefield is the only purpose-built private prison solely for women in the UK, and is the largest female prison in Europe. The prison is operated by Sodexo Justice Services.

History

The site was originally home to West London District School, a residential school opened in September 1872 for the education of orphans, which came under the control of London County Council from April 1930. In 1931 it provided residential accommodation for 640 children from the County of London, but by the time of its closure in 1955 this had dwindled to just 40. ^{[1] [2]} In 1961 the site was repurposed as Ashford Remand Centre, a detention facility for boys aged 14 to 21 which became notorious for the decrepit state of its facilities and its reputation for violence. The remand centre was closed down in 1988, but was briefly reopened due to overcrowding issues before its final closure in 1990, after which the buildings were demolished. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Bronzefield Prison was opened in June 2004 as the UK's new top-security prison for women.

Since its opening, Bronzefield has gained media coverage for its prisoners, its supposedly lax regime, high staff turnover and continued extremely poor industrial relations. ^[6]

In 2009, a 77-bed unit was built on the existing site, taking the operational capacity up to 527. Plans also exist to further expand the prison to include a male section along the lines of HMP Peterborough (also run by Sodexo Justice Services), making it a dual prison holding males and females.

In 2012, it was reported that Bronzefield was the first prison in the UK to have its own branch of the Women's Institute. The branch is for members of staff and for inmates who are taking part in resettlement programmes ahead of their release. ^[7]

The prison today

Entrance to HMP Bronzefield

HM Prison Bronzefield is currently one of three prisons to house Category A prisoners in the female estate (female and juvenile category-A prisoners are called "restricted status" prisoners). The other two being HM Prison Low Newton and HM Prison New Hall. The prison is staffed by about 140 prison custody officers, in a ratio of 50% female and 50% male officers. Bronzefield is also a local prison, taking prisoners directly from the courts. Bronzefield holds a wide range of female offenders, including remand, sentenced and restricted status women.

Accommodation at Bronzefield is divided into four main residential units, each holding approximately 135 women. The prison also has a 12-bed Mother and Baby Unit, accommodating children up to 18 months old. Bronzefield has a Level 4 Healthcare provision with in-patient facilities for 18 women, as well as a smaller 10-bed Help & Direction Unit.^[ citation needed ]

Bronzefield offers full-time education courses including Art, ESOL and Information Technology. There are also workshops in Cleaning Science and Arts and Crafts.

At least four times in the two years to 2019 women gave birth in upsetting and potentially dangerous conditions: one woman gave birth in her cell and another was left in labour during the night only with support from another pregnant prisoner. ^[8]

The prison is run by Sodexo; its annual report and accounts for 2017/18 show the cost per prisoner at Bronzefield is £66,294, at least £10,000 higher than any other women’s prison. ^[9]

Deaths in custody

Natasha Chin died in 2016 less than two days after she arrived at the prison after she had vomited continuously for nine hours and was not given medical attention or her prescribed medication. Prison officers asked healthcare staff to attend to Chin but healthcare staff did not respond. Expert medical witnesses told a coroner's inquest that if Chin’s condition had been monitored and dealt with satisfactorily, her vomiting would have reduced. It is likely she would have survived if she had been moved to a hospital, experts said. Chin rang her cell bell but prison staff failed to respond because they did not know bells were faulty. The inquest jury found her death was due to "a systemic failure, which led to a lack of basic care", and her death was "contributed to by neglect". Since Chin’s death, three further deaths of women found unresponsive in cells at Bronzefield have occurred. Earlier deaths and several inspection reports from at least 2010 stated long-established concerns about problems with healthcare services. ^{[9] [10]}

Deborah Coles of INQUEST maintained the Minister of Justice and Sodexo should be held accountable for not acting on repeated warnings about health care not being safe. Coles said, "Natasha’s death was a result of this indifference and neglect. It is shameful that women continue to die such needless deaths in prison. They failed to provide Natasha with even a basic duty of care. Urgent action is needed to dismantle failing women’s prisons and invest this money, not in private companies but in specialist women’s services to support women in the community." ^{[9] [10]}

In October 2019, a new-born baby died after the unnamed 18-year-old mother gave birth alone in her cell without medical supervision or help. "The case raises serious questions about how the woman came to be unsupervised and without medical support during her labour and birth, and about the conditions at the privately run prison". ^[11] Ten or eleven different enquiries have been launched into the baby's death. There are questions over how the woman had no medical help during birth, and the case drew attention to what is done generally for pregnant women in prison. There has been previous unease over care of pregnant prisoners at Bronzefield and the prison faced criticism for transferring prisoners to hospital only when advanced in labour. Deborah Coles of INQUEST said, "There must be the most robust scrutiny of how this tragic death was able to happen and involve the relevant independent expertise on maternity care. It is vital that the family are able to fully participate and that the findings are made public." ^{[12] [13]} The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman reported many failings in the way the teenager was treated. Nobody came though the prisoner pressed her bell twice and asked for a nurse. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, Sue McAllister said: "Ms A gave birth alone in her cell overnight without medical assistance. Overall the healthcare offered to her was not equivalent to that she could have expected in the community." Prison staff on the mother's block did not know that the birth was imminent and health agencies did not share information adequately with the prison. ^[14] The mother was vulnerable, it was her first time in prison, she was on remand facing a robbery charge. It was alleged she had “a troubled and traumatic childhood” and was “sad, angry and scared” after she was told the baby would be taken away at birth. ^[15]

Inspections

A 2013 report by the chief inspector of prisons praised the institution for its efforts to tackle alcohol problems and self-harm, improvements in health care, and its induction, first night in prison and reception facilities, since however structures in staffing and management have changed these procedures. The report condemned their segregation practices, in particular for keeping a prisoner in segregation for five years in bad conditions, treatment which "appears to amount to torture". ^[16]

Notable inmates

Current

• Marie Black
• Rizlaine Boular ^[17]
• Sharon Carr ^[18] – Britain's youngest female murderer
• Roshonara Choudhry ^[19]
• Mina Dich ^[17]
• Nicola Edgington
• Jennifer Johnson ^[20] – girlfriend of Russell Bishop at the time that he committed the Babes in the Wood Murders in Brighton in 1986, she was convicted in 2021 of perjury and perverting the course of justice after she lied about evidence in his first trial to help get him acquitted
• Lucy Letby ^[21]
• Jemma Mitchell
• Safiyya Shaikh ^[22]

Former

• Jane Andrews ^[23]
• Donna Anthony ^[24]
• Khawla Barghouthi ^[17]
• Tracey Connelly ^[25]
• Farah Damji – convicted fraudster ^[26]
• Tracy Dawber ^[27]
• Joanna Dennehy ^[28]
• Sabina Eriksson ^[29]
• Jayda Fransen – former leader and deputy leader of far-right party Britain First ^{[30] [31]}
• Vanessa George ^[32]
• Shauna Hoare ^[33]
• Tracy Lyons ^[27]
• Karen Matthews ^[34]
• Fiona Onasanya ^[35]
• Rosemary West ^[36]

References

1. Barker, D. M.; Barker, J. L. (2006). Aspects of Ashford. Addlestone, Surrey: Borough Books. ISBN   978-0-9537547-1-7.
2. Ramsden, Peter J. (1995). Looking Back at Ashford Middlesex : A Photograph Album. Doncaster, South Yorks.: Aspen Books. ISBN   0 9510833 3 3.
3. Scripps, Jenny. History of Ashford. Staines-upon-Thames: Spelthorne Museum.
4. Noel Smith (31 May 2020). "Behind the Gate – The life and infamous times of Britain's prisons: this month HMP Bronzefield". InsideTime. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
5. "Ashford Remand Centre: Governor's Journals". surreyarchives.org.uk. Surrey History Centre . Retrieved 20 February 2024.
6. Erwin James (28 September 2007). "The truth about 'Butlins behind bars' | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk". Guardian. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
7. "Women's Institute sets up branch in women's prison - Odd News". Digital Spy. 5 March 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
8. Devlin, Hannah; Taylor, Diane (22 November 2019). "Revealed: concerns over string of incidents at UK prison where baby died". The Guardian .
9. Eric Allison (13 December 2018). "Woman's death in Surrey prison due to neglect, inquest rules". The Guardian .
10. Maya Oppenheim (14 December 2018). "Death of woman in private UK prison caused by neglect and systemic failures, inquest rules". The Independent .
11. Devlin, Hannah; Taylor, Diane (4 October 2019). "Baby dies in UK prison after inmate 'gives birth alone in cell'". The Guardian .
12. Devlin, Hannah; Taylor, Diane (8 October 2019). "Multiple inquiries ordered into death of baby in UK prison". The Guardian .
13. "HMP Bronzefield baby death 'subject of 10 investigations'". BBC . 8 October 2019.
14. Massey, Lizzie; Kelly, June (22 September 2021). "HMP Bronzefield baby death: Mother was 'failed' says inspectors". BBC .
15. Diane Taylor (22 September 2021). "Damning report published into death of baby born to teenager in prison cell". The Guardian .
16. Saul, Heather (21 August 2013). "'Cruel, inhumane and degrading': Female prisoner kept segregated in 'squalid' cell for five years". The Independent (UK). Retrieved 21 August 2013.
17. "Women accused of planning first all-female terror attack in UK appear in court". The Independent. 12 August 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
18. "Carr, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Justice [2020]" (Legal application for Judicial Review). casemine. England and Wales High Court (Administrative Court). 11 March 2020. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
19. "Muslim student gets 15 years in jail for trying to murder MP Stephen". Evening Standard. 3 November 2010.
20. "Babes in the Wood perjury trial – what the judge said when he passed sentence". Brighton & Hove News. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
21. "Serial killer nurse Lucy Letby has 'keys to her own cell' and leads cushy life". The Independent. 29 January 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
22. "St Paul's bomb plotter now denies she got cold feet, court hears". The Guardian. 2 July 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
23. "Killer Fergie aide may get two years for escaping". 29 November 2009.
24. Tweedie, Neil (16 March 2005). "'Baby killings' mother to be freed from jail" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
25. "Child murderer Rose West viciously beaten at Durham maximum security prison". International Business Times UK. 16 October 2016.
26. Keay, Lara (19 February 2022). "Woman suing NHS over poor mental healthcare in prison faces extradition back to the same jail". Sky News. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
27. "Child abuse mum hurt after attack in prison".
28. Harley, Nicola (26 May 2016). "Serial killer Joanna Dennehy's escape plot to murder guard revealed as she loses high court compensation bid". The Telegraph– via www.telegraph.co.uk.
29. Cann, David (12 December 2012). A Madness Shared by Two: True Story of the M6 Eriksson Twins & the Murder of Glenn Hollinshead. BookBaby. ISBN   9780956848925 – via Google Books.
30. Hope not Hate (9 March 2018). "Far Right Roundup" . Retrieved 1 July 2022.
31. "Jayda phoned today, she is in good spirits and looking forward to returning to the front line of Patriotic Politics" (Post on the official twitter account of the Britain First Northern Ireland branch). Twitter. 16 March 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
32. Evans, Martin (18 September 2019). "Paedophile nursery worker Vanessa George released from prison". The Telegraph.
33. Lion, Patrick; Wood, Alex (13 November 2017). "Becky Watts' killer Shauna Hoare wants to marry girlfriend in prison". bristolpost.
34. Tominey, James Murray and Camilla (29 November 2009). "Killer Fergie aide may get two years for escaping". Express.co.uk.
35. "MP Fiona Onasanya's jail term 'not lenient'". The Times. 26 February 2019.
36. Brooks, Katie; Grimshaw, Emma (30 December 2018). "Serial killer Rose West plans to 'appeal sentence so she doesn't die in prison'". bristolpost.

External links

• Ministry of Justice pages on Bronzefield
• Sodexo Justice Services information page on Bronzefield
• HMP Bronzefield - HM Inspectorate of Prisons Reports

51°25′58″N0°29′03″W / 51.432889°N 0.484096°W / 51.432889; -0.484096