Upheld complaint against the Director of HMP Millsike
Complaint category:
Property
Month investigation completed:
May
Year investigation completed:
2026
The complainant said that property was lost when he transferred from HMP Millsike to HMP Durham on 19 December 2025, including clothing, a Quran and canteen items. Some clothing was later found at Millsike, but there was no evidence showing what property was retained, or whether and when any remaining items were forwarded or accounted for. While records confirm he had purchased canteen items shortly before transfer, there was no audit trail confirming their whereabouts. There was no evidence of theft, however, Millsike has been unable to account for the retained property in line with policy requirements. In addition, the complainant did not receive a response to his complaint appeal.
Recommendations/outcome:
£30 to be paid to the complainant; the Director to provide an action plan with timescales and evidence of completion; a review of property processes, ensuring accurate record-keeping, and improving complaints handling compliance.
Upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Frankland
Complaint category:
Staff behaviour
Month investigation completed:
May
Year investigation completed:
2026
In another upheld complaint about staff behaviour at HMP Frankland, a prisoner complained he was wrongly placed in handcuffs by a staff member. This was a complex incident connected to a lockdown search of many prisoners. As the decision to handcuff the prisoner had not been recorded as a use of force, it was not subject to the same levels of governance and assurance as a use of force incident. The shortcomings were: the prisoner was left unsupervised in handcuffs, body worn video camera evidence was not recorded, healthcare were not involved, and the prisoner's request for data relating to the incident was not treated as a Subject Access Request (SARs).
Recommendations/outcome:
IPCI recommended that the prison: apologise to the prisoner for using handcuffs incorrectly, ensure SARs are properly responded to and take steps to ensure BWVC evidence is retained. We also recommended national guidance should be streamlined to remove inconsistencies, and clearly explain the required actions relating to tier 3 lockdown searches and the role of healthcare.
Upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Whitemoor
Complaint category:
Accommodation, food, education & other facilities
Month investigation completed:
May
Year investigation completed:
2026
The prisoner complained about the failure of kitchen staff to provide food for Hindu festivals at Whitemoor.
Recommendations/outcome:
IPCI recommended that Whitemoor review the arrangements in place for ensuring that all prisoners are provided with food for their religious festivals, to ensure better communication between the Chaplain and the Kitchen, and to ensure contingency arrangements are in place for when pertinent staff are away from the establishment for any reason.
Partially upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Channings Wood
Complaint category:
Property
Month investigation completed:
May
Year investigation completed:
2026
The prisoner complained that property sent into him was not issued when it should have been. The prison said he was not permitted to have the property in his possession, so it was placed with his stored property.
Recommendations/outcome:
IPCI partially upheld the complaint because the prison denied him his property in error. The prison revised their decision and issued the property to him.
Upheld complaint against the Director of HMP Five Wells
Complaint category:
Staff behaviour
Month investigation completed:
May
Year investigation completed:
2026
A prisoner complained about a planned use of force at HMP Five Wells, saying that it was not justified and that his disabilities had not been properly considered.
IPCI found significant shortcomings in the planning and decision-making for the intervention. The prison could not provide records to support the risks relied upon by staff or demonstrate that an individualised risk assessment had been completed. As a result, it could not demonstrate that the use of force was necessary, reasonable and proportionate, or that the prisoner's recorded disabilities had been properly considered. There was no evidence that the use of force was motivated by discrimination or retaliation.
The use of force took place before IPCI had concluded an earlier investigation which identified similar learning around the planning and recording of planned interventions. By the time this investigation concluded, Five Wells had accepted that learning and was already implementing actions to address it.
Recommendations/outcome:
IPCI recommended that the Director provide the prisoner with a written apology for the shortcomings in the recorded decision-making and the absence of evidence of an individualised assessment. As Five Wells was already implementing relevant learning identified through anearlier investigation, IPCI did not repeat those recommendations. Instead, IPCI recommended that the Director provide evidence that the actions had been implemented, including ensuring that future planned interventions are supported by recorded, individualised risk assessments which consider any recorded disabilities.
Upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Frankland
Complaint category:
Staff behaviour
Month investigation completed:
May
Year investigation completed:
2026
A prisoner complained he was wrongly placed in handcuffs by a member of staff at Frankland. The investigation established this was a complex incident related to a lockdown search of many prisoners. The decision to handcuff them had not been recorded as a use of force and so was not subject to the same levels of governance and assurance as a use of force incident. The prisoner was left unsupervised, in handcuffs, body worn video camera evidence was not maintained, healthcare were not involved, and his request for data relating to the incident was not treated as a Subject Access Request (SARs). This was all wrong.
Recommendations/outcome:
We recommended that the prison apologise to the prisoner for wrongly using handcuffs, take steps to ensure BWVC evidence is retained and ensure SARs are properly responded to. We recommended national guidance should be streamlined to remove inconsistencies and make clear actions to be taken in respect of tier 3 lockdown searches and the role of healthcare.
Partially upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Wymott
Complaint category:
Administration
Month investigation completed:
May
Year investigation completed:
2026
The complainant said there was insufficient investigation into the circumstances that led to him being assaulted by another prisoner. He also felt the prison’s response to his complaint was inadequate.
Recommendations/outcome:
IPCI found that Wymott took appropriate action prior to and following the assault. However, IPCI partially upheld the complaint because the complainant received an inadequate response to his complaint. IPCI asked the Governor to ensure full responses were provided to complaints in line with the Prisoner Complaints Policy Framework.
Upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Lowdham Grange
Complaint category:
Administration
Month investigation completed:
May
Year investigation completed:
2026
The prisoner complained that the response to his complaint did not address his concerns and the prison did not action a Subject Access Request (SAR) contained in the complaint.
Recommendations/outcome:
We recommended that the Governor apologise to the prisoner, take action to ensure that staff handling complaints were aware of the requirements under the Prisoner Complaints Policy Framework, and ensure that staff are aware of the process to be followed when a SAR is made.
Upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Belmarsh
Complaint category:
Property
Month investigation completed:
May
Year investigation completed:
2026
The prisoner complained that when he transferred from Belmarsh to HMP Full Sutton, three bags of his property went missing.
Recommendations/outcome:
After informing IPCI that all the prisoner’s bags transferred with him, Belmarsh then found the missing property. Belmarsh agreed to send it to the prisoner’s current prison.
Upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Highpoint
Complaint category:
Property
Month investigation completed:
May
Year investigation completed:
2026
The prisoner complained that a parcel sent into Highpoint had not been issued to him and did not follow him when he was transferred to another prison. Highpoint accepted that they had not maintained clear and accurate records of the parcel and agreed to compensate the prisoner but then did not do so.
Recommendations/outcome:
Eventually, the prison did pay the prisoner the compensation he was due. We hold the view that this complaint should have been resolved by the prison without reference to IPCI.
