Chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor has served an urgent notification on HMP Pentonville after an inspection found many inmates have been kept in prison after they should have been freed
Inmates at a UK prison have been unlawfully kept behind bars beyond their release dates and subjected to “frightening” living conditions in a prison riddled with cockroaches, prompting urgent action from a watchdog
Charlie Taylor, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, has issued an urgent notification regarding the North London facility HMP Pentonville after it was found that staff had “failed to calculate sentences accurately”, leading to wrongful detainment.
The inspection revealed alarming figures, showing that 130 prisoners – a significant 20% of those due for release – were illegally held past their release dates over the past six months. The backlog in sentence calculations has resulted in 10 inmates being mistakenly set free early between July 2024 and June 2025.
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In his communication with the Justice Secretary, the chief inspector painted a grim picture of the induction process for new arrivals at the jail, describing it as “chaotic and even frightening”. The report highlighted the deplorable state of the cells, with many lacking basic necessities such as bedding, furniture, telephones, and pillows, and most inmates confined to their cells for over 22 hours daily.
It also detailed the overcrowded conditions, with 60% of prisoners forced to share cells meant for single occupancy, amidst filthy living areas and rampant infestations of mice and cockroaches. Emergency measures were taken by inspectors after they discovered the care for vulnerable inmates under constant watch was “shockingly poor” at a prison, with one officer caught napping, two engrossed in books and another conspicuously missing.
The “unacceptable practices” in the supervision of prisoners at risk of self-harm drew particular scrutiny from inspectors, especially troubling given the three suicides that occurred at the facility in 2025.
Mr Taylor didn’t hold back his criticism: “Pentonville is an overcrowded, inner-city, Victorian prison with a record of poor performance over many years.” He continued to highlight the issues within the staff: “Too many of its staff have become disillusioned about the possibility of improvement or their capacity to affect change. Yet many of its shocking failures are firmly within the control of leaders.”
Taylor underscored the need for substantial support: “The governor will need significant support and investment from HM Prison and Probation Service to strengthen his senior leadership team, re-focus on the basics, and put in place effective oversight and assurance systems to turn this failing prison around.”
A prisoner survey conducted during the inspection revealed a disturbing statistic: 44% felt unsafe, which the watchdog noted as the highest figure ever recorded during his time as chief inspector.
Pentonville has now joined the list of prisons issued with urgent notifications since November 2022, a list that includes Exeter, Cookham Wood Young Offender Institution, Woodhill, Bedford, Wandsworth, Rochester, Manchester, and Winchester prisons.
In 2017, an emergency protocol was established to flag up urgent issues post-inspection, mandating a response and action plan from the Justice Secretary within 28 days. The inspector’s findings also revealed that upon planned releases, a shocking 23% of prisoners faced homelessness on release day, with very few securing employment.
Pia Sinha, chief executive of the Prison Reform Trust, expressed grave concerns: “Prisoners illegally held after they should have been released, or others released early in error, further undermine effective sentence planning and erode public confidence.”
She called for decisive measures: “This urgent notification must be a rallying cry for immediate action – fix the failing infrastructure, improve staff training, and treat prisoners with dignity.”
Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, labelled the inspection outcomes as “outrageous” and indicative of a “new low” for the struggling public service. He criticised the government’s slow response: “While the Government inherited a dire state of affairs in prisons, it has had more than a year to bring about change.”
Neilson questioned the government’s control over the crisis: “As report cards go, such a dire account of dysfunction in Pentonville instils little confidence that ministers have a grip of the situation.”
Lord James Timpson, Prisons minister, acknowledged the urgency by visiting the prison on Thursday, affirming that efforts are underway to address the chief inspector’s concerns. An upcoming action plan is set to bolster these initiatives in the following weeks.
Lord Timpson declared: “This Government will end the chaos we inherited in our jails. We are building 14,000 new prison places and reforming sentencing so our jails reduce reoffending, cut crime, and keep victims safe.”
