THE covid-19 pandemic has caused some HMP Berwyn prisoners to say their treatment has been "unfair and inhumane," according to a report.

A new annual report by the prison's Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) gives a description of the pandemic's impact on the establishment from the beginning of March 2020 to the end of February 2021.

During that time, 319 members of staff and 163 prisoners tested positive for covid-19; figures the IMB describes as "positive compared to many other prisons."

The report explains: "The board believes the establishment is safe.

"In keeping with all establishments, men have been confined to their rooms for long periods.

"The board believes there is a generally courteous and respectful regime and staff-prisoner relationships are generally very good.

"However the covid-19 restrictions have caused some prisoners to consider that their treatment has been unfair and inhumane."

During most of the year, Berwyn was under some level of lockdown or restrictions - with men only being allowed their minimum of thirty minutes in the open air each day at times.

Gym appointments and access to exercise were reduced, which resulted in "considerable frustration amongst men and numerous complaints."

Many 'soft skills' sessions that would normally be held to "enrich communities" were paused, but a distribution pack programme was expanded to allow access to materials and products to relieve boredom while in lockdown.

The prison's random mandatory drug tests were paused for periods during the pandemic as well.

In the report, a spokesman for the IMB said: "Berwyn has benefited this year by having a generally stable senior management team, which has helped them navigate the establishment through these very difficult and challenging times.

"It is the opinion of the board that the Governor and his staff worked hard to minimise the effects of a curtailment of the usual rehabilitative regime at Berwyn and to manage the unsettling effect that Covid-19 caused, especially when the relaxation of measures inside the prison happened at a slower rate than those on the outside."

A Prison Service spokesman said: “Restrictions have eased significantly at HMP Berwyn including the reintroduction of visits and increased access to education and exercise.

“Our actions have saved countless lives and remaining restrictions will be lifted when it is safe to do so.”

The service also clarified that HMP Berwyn is operating at Stage 2 of the 'National Framework for Prisons Regimes and Services', which means that:

  • Classroom-based education and indoor physical education has been reintroduced
  • There is greater capacity across all services, including visits
  • Communal worship has been reintroduced.

The service stated that given the impact of restrictions on day-to-day life, it has made prisoners’ wellbeing a priority with direct responses to the pandemic including:

  • Rolling out secure video call technology into every single prison in the male, female and youth estate so prisoners are able to remain in touch with their family – vital to their rehabilitation;
  • Providing more than 1,500 mobile phone handsets and extra phone credit;
  • Key Worker officers – specialist staff who provide one-to-one support to five-to-six prisoners – have been going cell to cell to intensively support those with mental health issues, and spent longer than ever simply talking to prisoners – listening to their problems and anxieties;
  • Moved vital rehabilitation work – such as education, work opportunities and exercise – in cell where possible.