HMP Wandsworth is a ‘place for ruining human lives’, says former inmate
A former inmate of HMP Wandsworth has said the jail is a place for “ruining human lives”.
David Shipley, who spent time at the Category B prison in south west London between 2020 and 2021, said inmates spend 22 hours or more laying on their bunks, staring at the wall or watching daytime TV.
He said many people often resort to taking drugs or drinking because “there is nothing else to do”.
Mr Shipley’s comments come after a report found “81 points of failure” at HMP Wandsworth, in the wake of an alleged prisoner escape.
Former soldier Daniel Abed Khalife is accused of breaking out of the jail on 6 September last year, after allegedly using bedsheets to strap himself under a food truck.
Former HMP Wandsworth inmate David Shipley said inmates often turn to drugs and drinking
He was arrested three days later and has pleaded not guilty to escaping from lawful custody. He is due to stand trial in October.
The report, by HMP Wandsworth’s Independent Monitoring Board (IMB), identified a raft of security failings including “antiquated” CCTV cameras that had not worked for over a year and contraband being “alarmingly easy” for prisoners to get hold of.
“It does just seem to get worse and worse and worse,” Mr Shipley said. “And for me, that’s the tragic thing about this.”
Daniel Abed Khalife allegedly escaped HMP Wandsworth in September 2023. Pic: Met Police
“This place has been chewing up people for years and years and years. It does nothing good. It doesn’t do anything to help people be less likely to re-offend. It does a huge amount of harm.
“Wandsworth is just a place for ruining human lives and potential.”
As a result of the report, the IMB called for HMP Wandsworth to be put into emergency measures over its “deeply concerning” findings.
It described the jail as a “failing prison” which was “constrained by staff absence and hindered by underfunding and lack of support from the prison service”.
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IMB chairman Matthew Andrews said: “For HMP Wandsworth and the men whose treatment we monitor, this year has been as bad as any in our memory and, by many measures, worse.
“The recently released report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons was highly critical but said little that surprised us.
“Many of the same issues had been raised in previous IMB annual reports and ignored by the Ministry of Justice.”
Khalife’s alleged escape also prompted multiple reviews and actions, including “previously unavailable funding” being made available.
The report noted a new CCTV system installed in May this year “immediately led to an increase in the number of illegal passes detected”.
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It comes after an inspection of HMP Wandsworth in May revealed “chaos” and “appalling conditions”, stemming from “poor leadership at every level”.
The prison was also the focus of a police investigation into a prison officer filmed having sex with an inmate; Linda De Sousa Abreu, 30, pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office at the end of July.
The government also confirmed a £100m funding package over five years, and additional staff, to deal with HMP Wandsworth, which it calls “one of the most troubled prisons in the country”.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said after the IMB’s annual report: “The new government inherited a justice system in crisis and has been forced to take action and get a grip of the situation across the prison estate, so we can lock up dangerous offenders, protect the public and make prisons safer for hard-working staff.
“Earlier this month, the new Lord Chancellor announced that the Prison Service is deploying extra specialist staff and will redirect £100m to be spent over five years at HMP Wandsworth to ensure immediate action is taken to improve conditions.”
UK
Newcastle: Three men arrested in connection with deadly house explosion and on suspicion of cannabis production
Three men have been arrested in connection with a deadly house explosion in Newcastle.
Seven-year-old Archie York and Jason Laws, who was in his 30s, were killed following the blast in Violet Close, in the Benwell and Elswick area of the city in October.
Police said at the time that six others were taken to hospital “with varying injuries” after the blast and subsequent fire.
Three men – two in their 30s and one in his 50s – have been arrested on suspicion of two counts of manslaughter, and the production of a Class B drug, namely cannabis, Northumbria Police said.
They all remain in police custody.
Detective Chief Inspector Katie Smith said: “This has been a truly tragic incident which resulted in the loss of two lives.
“As a result of our ongoing enquiries, three men have today been arrested in connection with the explosion.
“Our investigation will remain ongoing as we seek to provide answers to what has happened.
“We would continue to ask people to avoid speculation surrounding this incident both online and in the community.”
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From October: Deadly blast destroys Newcastle house
The blast tore through a row of six properties divided into two flats each.
Drone footage showed how six flats in the middle of the building appeared to have been completely destroyed by the explosion and fire, while piles of debris could be seen in the street outside.
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Superintendent Darren Adams, from Northumbria Police, said on the day of the fire: “As a result of the incident in the early hours of this morning, a seven-year-old boy has sadly passed away.
“Despite the efforts of the emergency services, he tragically died at the scene.
“This is a truly devastating outcome.”
Prince William has given an update on the Princess of Wales’s health, describing her as “amazing”.
Ahead of tonight’s Earthshot Prize awards in Cape Town, he was asked how his wife Kate was doing and replied: “She’s doing really well thanks. Hopefully she’s watching tonight and cheering me on.
“She’s been amazing this whole year and I know she’ll be really keen to see tonight be a success.”
Kate revealed in March she was having preventative chemotherapy following the discovery of pre-cancerous cells.
In September, she announced she had completed her treatment and said her focus now is on “staying cancer free”.
Throughout the year, Prince William hasn’t discussed his wife’s diagnosis, despite still continuing with his own public duties.
William and Kate at a community engagement last month. Pic: Andrew Parsons/Kensington Palace
William answered questions after taking part in rehearsals for tonight’s Earthshot Awards, the environmental prize he launched in 2021 to try to inject some optimism into the climate crisis debate.
Since he’s been in Cape Town he’s been spotted wearing a bracelet with the word ‘papa’ on it, given to him by his daughter Princess Charlotte.
He explained: “This is a relic from a Taylor Swift concert that my daughter decided that she wanted to create a bracelet for, and she gave it to me when I came away so I’ve promised her that I’d wear it and try not to lose it while I was out here.”
He also shared how he’s trying to make sure his three children feel involved in his environmental work, including doing things around the house.
The Prince of Wales in Cape Town today. Pic: PA
The prince said: “Every family tries to do what they can to help with the environment and we go through the basics of recycling and making sure we minimise water use, turning lights off when you leave the house. We’re sensible with what we do around the environment. I think every family has those conversations.
“The Earthshot is trying to be more global than that – we’re trying to do big-scale ambition and business. I’ve brought the children along on that journey and I hope they’re proud of what we are trying to do here which is to galvanise that energy and enthusiasm to make real impact.”
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Asked about the tough political climate for the environment right now, Prince William didn’t make any comment about the US election result and Donald Trump’s climate credentials, but said: “Everyone wants some hope and some optimism and Earthshot comes with urgent optimism.
“And as you’ll see tonight the amount of youth from Africa who will be in here – they’ll be letting you know and letting everyone know that it matters to them.
“Without them, the future is looking pretty bleak so these are the game changers, the innovators, the inventors who are going to make the world a better place for us in future.”
The annual Earthshot Prize awards five entrepreneurs, innovators, startups or conservationists with £1m each to help scale their ideas to tackle some of the world’s most pressing environmental issues.
This is the fourth year the awards have been held.
Sara Sharif’s father has told a court he did not beat the 10-year-old girl, claiming his wife was “very, very, crazy” and accusing her of abuse.
Taxi driver Urfan Sharif, his wife Beinash Batool and brother Faisal Malik are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of Sara’s murder in August last year.
Sara was found dead in bed at the family’s home in Woking, Surrey, after Sharif called police from Pakistan and said he had beaten her “too much”.
A post-mortem found dozens of injuries, including burns and human bite marks.
Giving evidence in court on Wednesday, Sharif said: “Everything happened at home while I was at work.
“I did not beat her, do anything to her.”
(L-R) Urfan Sharif, Beinash Batool and Faisal Malik deny murder. Pics: Surrey Police
In WhatsApp messages to her sisters, Batool claimed her husband had beaten his daughter “like crazy” over at least two years.
Sharif denied this and instead alleged his wife – who was Sara’s stepmother – was “very, very crazy”, highlighting video evidence allegedly showing she abused him.
He said he recorded the incidents “so that she (would) leave me alone” and “stop what she was doing”.
The taxi driver alleged his wife did not “care about anything at all” and claimed her family said: “Someone has done black magic on her.”
Sharif became emotional as he told jurors: “I used to jump through the kitchen window as she would lock the front door.
“Most of the time when she was angry, I jumped through the living room window.”
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The court was shown two videos from Sharif’s Google drive. One was filmed in February 2016 after his wife accused him of flirting with a hospital nurse, he said.
In the video, he could be heard saying: “You are pushing me. You are abusing me. Get off me.
“You are hitting me. I’m going to use this as evidence I’m telling you now.”
Batool demanded for him to stop filming and said: “I ain’t scared of you.”
Addressing what the video showed, Sharif told the court: “She kicked me. I ran to the other room, she is standing in front of the door so I cannot leave.”
A second video, dated 26 June 2019, saw Sharif repeatedly asking his wife to “let me go” before jumping out of a window.
He told jurors Batool “slapped” him, adding: “You have a choice either to fight with that person or leave.
“I tried to leave but she locked the front door. I jumped through the kitchen window.”
Sharif, 42, Batool, 30, and Malik, 29, deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a child between 16 December 2022 and 9 August 2023.
The trial continues.
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