Inmates in British prisons bitten by rats and venomous spiders, report claims

Prison inmates have been bitten by rats and venomous spiders across England and Wales, a damning new report has revealed.

At Bullingdon prison in Oxfordshire, prisoners have been attacked by venomous false widow spiders, due to a severe pest control issues plaguing the system.

Adding to the horrors, at Hollesley Bay prison in Suffolk, an inmate was bitten by a rat while handling rubbish.

Vermin infestations have become an “acute issue” throughout the prison estate, with inspectors documenting widespread problems including cockroach invasions and biting flies living in shower areas.

Dead rodents have also been found rotting on prison wings, while some cells have been rendered unusable due to bedbug infestations.

The rat problem was particularly severe at HMP Pentonville, where the kitchen had to close for three months from April 2024 due to infestations when inmates were forced to survive on sandwiches and, for one evening, had to resort to freeze-dried army-grade rations.

The report also highlighted serious safety concerns across multiple facilities, with maintenance delays creating dangerous conditions.

At Pentonville, an incident in 2016 involving a prisoner’s death and subsequent escapes led to recommendations for replacing 800 insecure windows and security grilles, although these crucial security upgrades remain incomplete.

Further safety concerns emerged at HMP Dartmoor, where prisoners were exposed to significant risks from radon gas, leading to the temporary closure of the facility.

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Infrastructure problems have plagued numerous facilities, with flooding and leaks affecting daily operations across the prison estate.

At Bedford prison, the care and separation unit housing the most vulnerable inmates was located underground and regularly flooded during rainfall.

Feltham B prison in west London faced similar issues, with staff resorting to using buckets to catch water contaminated with ferrous oxide from a leak through the roof.

Additionally, water leaks at Wayland prison in Norfolk forced the closure of both the pharmacy and consultation room.

The situation at Coldingley prison in Surrey was described as “inhumane and unfit for the 21st century” by the monitoring board, with suspected raw sewage leaking through multiple ceilings.

Fire safety has also emerged as a critical concern, with one potentially catastrophic incident at Dartmoor where firefighters couldn’t reach a cell fire due to a faulty main gate.

Prisons minister James Timpson described the report as “very concerning”, acknowledging that it “highlights the shocking extent of the prison crisis we inherited”.

“The Government has already taken immediate action to address the crowding chaos engulfing our jails,” Lord Timpson said, adding that Labour is now “focusing on improving conditions in the long term so our prisons create better citizens, not better criminals”.

National chair of the IMB Elisabeth Davies has warned that “decades of underinvestment” had severely impacted prison infrastructure.

“This report highlights the consequences of underinvestment and sticking-plaster solutions. It should serve as a warning against continuing down these paths,” she said.