A local prison for male sex offenders has seen a sharp rise in the number of self-harm incidents in inmates, according to an annual report.

HMP Rye Hill is a private prison on the border of Northamptonshire between Daventry and Rugby.

The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) found the number of incidents of self-harm in the facility had risen by 40 per cent in 2023/24, from 246 to 343.

In a report published on Friday, September 13, inspectors noted that the number of incidents was pushed up by a 'very small' number of men who repeatedly injured themselves. In total, 205 prisoners were issued care plans used to support people at risk of self-harm and suicide, up from 129 last year.

A new policy was also introduced at the time which limited issuing razors to the day-time. The report concluded that it seemed to have reduced the severity level of harm and the need for hospital treatment.

The IMB wrote that the prison performed well in other areas, including continuing progress and improving outcomes for inmates. Prisoner-led committees organised many additional enrichment and education events over the year to support a sense of community.

It also noted that employment levels in the facility remained high, averaging 90 per cent of the population.

Building work is currently underway on two new accommodation blocks to provide an additional 458 places, planned to open in late 2024. The prison population at the end of the inspection was 662 - just two spaces spare from maximum capacity - and it remained full throughout the entire year.

advertisement

The report also noted concerns that some prisoners will need to be relocated as the facility transitions to a category C training prison, which holds prisoners with a low escape risk who cannot be trusted in open conditions. It said this could cause 'distress' to the more complex category B prisoners.

Rye Hill IMB Chair, Pete Griffiths said: "Despite significant internal and external challenges, the whole prison community is committed to changing lives for the better.

"The Board is pleased that through the 'making sense of a longer sentence' initiative, the prison empowers men to create evidence packs to record their progression, enabling them to see the positive consequences of their decisions and actions over the course of their sentence.

"Monitoring in the coming reporting period will focus on the support provided to category B prisoners to help them progress before it becomes necessary for them to move to a new establishment."