Are you OK with cookies?

We use small files called ‘cookies’ on ppo.gov.uk. Some are essential to make the site work, some help us to understand how we can improve your experience, and some are set by third parties. You can choose to turn off the non-essential cookies. Which cookies are you happy for us to use?

Skip to content

Complaint investigation summaries

Read summaries of upheld and partially upheld investigations into complaints on this page. We keep information brief to protect the identities of people involved and we may decide not to publish a summary if the person making the complaint might be identified from it. Please visit our archive site to view complaint summaries published before February 2024.

Every month we publish statistics about the number of investigations we have completed and our decision for each one.

Use the search box below to search complaints by prison name or location.

Filters

171 complaints summaries

Upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP The Verne

Complaint category:
Adjudication & IEP
Status:
Upheld
Month investigation completed:
July
Year investigation completed:
2024
The prisoner complained about the finding of guilt at an adjudication. The IPCI investigation established there were errors with the paperwork, and that only one of the witnesses, requested, was called and there was no reference to the missing witness the record of hearing. This is not policy compliant as adjudicators should consider requests for witnesses, and if evidence is heard from them, those charged should be allowed to question them.
Recommendations/outcome:
We asked that the case be quashed.

Partially Upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Pentonville

Complaint category:
Staff behaviour
Status:
Partially upheld
Month investigation completed:
July
Year investigation completed:
2024
The prisoner complained about the actions of a member of staff. The IPCI investigation found no evidence to uphold the substantive complaint. However, we found that the response to a Comp2 (delegated by the Governor for investigation by a member of staff) was not suitably robust to provide evidence of a decent investigation.
Recommendations/outcome:
We wrote to the Governor to remind them of the importance of a robust complaints system, particularly in relation to devolved Comp2 responses.

Partially upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Wakefield

Complaint category:
Staff behaviour
Status:
Partially upheld
Month investigation completed:
July
Year investigation completed:
2024
The prisoner complained that staff at HMP Wakefield were bullying him because he had made complaints to IPCI about the prison. The IPCI investigation found no evidence of bullying but did consider that the response to the prisoner’s confidential access complaint was inadequate and did not fully address his concerns.
Recommendations/outcome:
We asked that the Governor apologise to the prisoner for how the prison handled his complaint.

Upheld complaint against the Director of HMP Five Wells

Complaint category:
Work, pay & money
Status:
Upheld
Month investigation completed:
July
Year investigation completed:
2024
The prisoner complained that he did not receive two of his canteen orders. He explained that when he ordered the canteen, he was resident on G wing. However, when his canteen was delivered, he had moved wings and did not receive it. At the time of writing to us he had not received a refund.
Recommendations/outcome:
As a result of the IPCI investigation, the prisoner has now received a full refund for canteen not received. We feel this complaint could have been resolved without referral to IPCI.

Partially upheld complaint against the Director of HMP Five Wells

Complaint category:
Property
Status:
Partially upheld
Month investigation completed:
July
Year investigation completed:
2024
The prisoner complained about the time taken by HMP Nottingham to send his property to HMP Five Wells. The prisoner moved to Five Wells in November 2023. Nottingham sent the property in June 2024. Five Wells failed to inform the prisoner they received it because of an administrative issue.
Recommendations/outcome:
The prisoner was reunited with his property.

Upheld complaint against the Governors of HMP Wymott and HMP Risley

Complaint category:
Administration,Property
Status:
Upheld
Month investigation completed:
July
Year investigation completed:
2024
The prisoner complained that some of their property had been lost when they transferred from HMP Wymott to HMP Risley. Neither prison was able to provide any property cards, so it was not possible to confirm whether the Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework had been complied with. In addition, the prisoner’s complaint had been responded to a month late by Wymott.
Recommendations/outcome:
IPCI recommended payment of compensation by Risley, and also recommended that Wymott apologise to the prisoner for the way their complaint was dealt with and to ensure they comply with the mandatory requirements of the Prisoner Complaints’ Framework.

Upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Standford Hill

Complaint category:
Property
Status:
Upheld
Month investigation completed:
July
Year investigation completed:
2024
The prisoner complained that their property had been lost by HMP Standford Hill after they transferred to HMP The Mount. They complained that were not given the chance to pack up their property and that items that were recorded on their property cards at Standford Hill, did not arrive at The Mount. Our investigation found that Standford Hill had used a local version of a Cell Clearance Certificate, contrary to the Prisoner’s Property Policy Framework, and there were discrepancies between the Cell Clearance Certificate and the prisoner’s property card.
Recommendations/outcome:
HMPPS agreed to compensate the prisoner for his missing property following the submission of IPCI’s report. They also agreed to ensure that staff at Standford Hill comply with the requirements of the Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework including the use of the mandatory Cell Clearance Certificate (F2056J) rather than the local version being used.

Partially upheld complaint against the Governor at HMP Wakefield

Complaint category:
Prison behaviour,Staff behaviour
Status:
Partially upheld
Month investigation completed:
July
Year investigation completed:
2024
The prisoner complained about several incidents of bullying and victimisation by both staff and prisoners. Our investigation found the prison had not conducted adequate investigations into the allegations nor kept adequate records and therefore, had no evidence of reasonable measures taken to reassure of the prisoner’s safety.
Recommendations/outcome:
We recommended that prison investigate the allegations, maintain appropriate records of the investigation, and consider any actions necessary to reassure the prisoner of his safety. We also asked that the prison provided the outcome of the investigation to IPCI.

Upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP/YOI Stoke Heath.

Complaint category:
Staff behaviour
Status:
Upheld
Month investigation completed:
July
Year investigation completed:
2024
The prisoner complained that during a routine security search, his trousers had been pulled down in-front of a large group, causing him to feel humiliated and embarrassed. The prisoner said that no apology was issued.
Recommendations/outcome:
Following IPCI involvement, the prisoner was issued an apology from the CM which he had accepted. We outlined the benefits of professional working relationships to HMP/YOI Stoke Heath.

Upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Whitemoor

Complaint category:
Security
Status:
Upheld
Month investigation completed:
July
Year investigation completed:
2024
The prisoner complained about a body search conducted in October 2023. He was concerned that his intimate body parts were captured on the body worn video camera (BWVC) footage.
Recommendations/outcome:
We recommended that the prisoner was issued with a letter of apology. We asked that the Governor commission an urgent review of the prison local BWVC policy to ensure it is in line with national policy and to ensure that full searches are not routinely filmed on BWVCs.