Strangeways is 'an old, decrepit, Victorian prison in a state of disrepair' that needs 'huge investment' - but there's no money to fix it, according to the Prison Governors' Association.
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, said 156 year-old HMP Manchester has the highest rate of serious assaults of any prison in the country, saying it was 'fundamentally not safe' for prisoners and staff. A 'chronic' rat infestation was found and despite the high levels of violence, the prison's CCTV system was said to be 'failing'.
A debrief from the inspection has been published, but the report won't be revealed in full until the new year. An 'Urgent Notification' is a step the Chief Inspector takes when he believes concerns cannot wait that long to be acted on. "It is sadly because, as with many other prisons subject to a UN, HMP Manchester is an old, decrepit, Victorian prison in a state of disrepair; a prison which requires huge investment to repair and maintain it, and the money required to do this is simply not available.
He said: "Reports such as this have become far too common. They typify the shocking state of the prison system we have inherited. Every day our dedicated staff do vital work keeping the public safe. They deserve better than being faced with conditions such as these and the constant threat of violence.