Upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Leicester
Complaint category:
Property
Month investigation completed:
March
Year investigation completed:
2025
A prisoner complained that following a DST search, his property was damaged. The prison accepted liability and offered compensation in line with the local maximum amounts. The IPCI investigation found that the compensation was inadequate and confirmed that there is no authority for establishments to put in place local maximums for compensation.
Recommendations/outcome:
We asked that the complainant receive reasonable compensation, and asked that the prison make an amendment to the local policy. We have also worked with national policy holders to amend the framework to reflect that arbitrary local maxima are not policy compliant.
Partially upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Isle Of Wight
Complaint category:
Categorisation, progression & release preparation
Month investigation completed:
March
Year investigation completed:
2025
A prisoner complained about inaccurate information in his OASys report. The IPCI investigation established that the OASys did include information taken from CPS documentation, which was not pertinent to his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
Recommendations/outcome:
We partially upheld the complaint on the basis that staff had taken remedial action, although it is a matter of professional assessment what is contained within an OASys. There were no formal recommendations to make.
Partially upheld complaint against the Governor of HMYOI Wetherby
Complaint category:
Staff behaviour
Month investigation completed:
March
Year investigation completed:
2025
A young person complained about a restraint and full search. The investigation established the intervention was mostly well planned and delivered effectively, however upon relocation to the CSU, the young person was left without any clothing.
Recommendations/outcome:
The response to the COMP2 had already acknowledged this, and we confirmed that senior staff had reminded those involved of the need to plan all aspects of such relocations. There were no recommendations for us to make.
Partially upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Onley
Complaint category:
Categorisation, progression & release preparation
Month investigation completed:
March
Year investigation completed:
2025
A prisoner complained that he wanted to change his keyworker as he was not receiving an adequate number of keywork sessions. The IPCI investigation established that although keyworkers are profiled to deliver 45-minute weekly sessions, this does not equate to 45 minutes with a prisoner. The prison was delivering monthly sessions, and this had been agreed with the Area Executive Director as part of an exceptional regime delivery plan and accepted that this was not acceptable in a steady state.
Recommendations/outcome:
Whilst HMP Onley are not currently delivering an appropriate number of sessions, they have assured IPCI there is a plan in place to increase this. IPCI will monitor this situation going forward.
Partially upheld complaint against the Governor of HMYOI Werrington
Complaint category:
Staff behaviour
Month investigation completed:
March
Year investigation completed:
2025
A young person complained that a safeguarding investigation, completed after a restraint, was not sufficient as it did not involve an interview with the main member of staff involved. The IPCI investigation established the restraint was reasonable and deemed the safeguarding investigation sufficient. However, as one statement was submitted late, it was not considered, and this gave the impression the investigation was not complete.
Recommendations/outcome:
We spoke with the MMPR Coordinator, and they subsequently demonstrated they had put in place a process to ensure late statements were not missed when submitted.
Partially upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP North Sea Camp
Complaint category:
Property
Month investigation completed:
March
Year investigation completed:
2025
A prisoner complained that some of their property had not followed them on transfer. The IPCI investigation identified some inconsistencies in the cell clearance process at the prison, notably the current property cards were not referred to when the cell was cleared. However, the specific item the prisoner claimed as missing subsequently appeared on his In Possession property cards.
Recommendations/outcome:
We wrote to the Governor to remind them of the need to record all property cleared from a cell.
Partially Upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Oakwood
Complaint category:
Property
Month investigation completed:
March
Year investigation completed:
2025
A prisoner complained that some of their property had been lost by HMP Oakwood before his transfer to HMP Thorn Cross. After IPCI’s involvement the prisoner’s property card and delivery tracking information was reviewed. The prisoner’s mobile phone and other property was subsequently located at Thorn Cross but had not arrived from Oakwood within an acceptable time frame.
Recommendations/outcome:
A copy of the decision letter was sent to the Governor at Oakwood to highlight the problems identified in the case and the prisoner was reunited with his property.
Partially upheld complaint against the Director of HMP Oakwood
Complaint category:
Property
Month investigation completed:
March
Year investigation completed:
2025
A prisoner complained that he was unable to access legal documents held in his stored property, despite being told by the prison this would be arranged. The IPCI investigation found the prisoner had been sent an electronic request for this to happen, minutes before the appointment, which staff had not passed on. There was also no evidence to suggest that new arrangements had been made for the prisoner to access his documents on a later date.
Recommendations/outcome:
The prisoner has now been reunited with his property. We hold the view that this complaint should clearly have been resolved by the prison without reference to IPCI.
Partially upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Woodhill
Complaint category:
Staff behaviour
Month investigation completed:
March
Year investigation completed:
2025
A prisoner complained about the conduct of a Supervising Officer (SO). During the IPCI investigation we encountered difficulties obtaining information required to inform our decision making. The investigation found that the officer had used inappropriate language and may have appeared intimidating.
Recommendations/outcome:
We asked that the Governor review the IEP warning issued to the complainant by the SO to ensure it was appropriate and inform the complainant of the outcome. The Governor was asked to remind staff of their responsibilities under the Prisoner Complaints policy, emphasising that IPCI requests must be actioned promptly and in line with policy requirements.
Partially Upheld complaint against the Governor of HMP Long Lartin
Complaint category:
Property
Month investigation completed:
March
Year investigation completed:
2025
A prisoner complained about property damaged when he moved from HMP Long Lartin to HMP Belmarsh. The IPCI investigation found that whilst it was not clear where the damage had occurred, it had been noted as damaged on arrival to the receiving prison and that the property had been packed poorly.
Recommendations/outcome:
IPCI recommended that; Long Lartin compensate the prisoner for damaged property due to the property being recorded as damaged ahead of arrival at Belmarsh. That the Governor in Long Lartin remind staff of the need to respond to complaints within policy compliant timeframes and to issue an interim reply if necessary. To ensure copies of the approved cell clearance certificate were made available to staff completing cell clearances and ensure copies of cell clearance certificates were attached to the prisoner’s property cards. Ensured that when packing property, staff did so with care to minimise the chance of damage to or loss of property.
