THE Ministry of Justice said today it had taken over the running of Lowdham Grange in Nottinghamshire and brought in a new governor to improve the prison’s safety and security.

Warnings about conditions at the category-B Sodexo-run jail were made by the prisons watchdog earlier this year.

Inspectors found the 800-man prison in a state of turmoil in May after the handover from another private contractor, Serco: “The fallout from this was affecting almost every aspect of prison life, with significant staff shortages and rising levels of self-harm, violence and disruptive behaviour,” according to the findings in August.

Experienced prison officers and other staff will be brought in to boost staffing levels while an immediate review of conditions will be carried out, the ministry said. It admitted that “conditions have further deteriorated, and senior prison leaders have now concluded that stepping in is necessary to make the improvements needed.”

An inquest in January concluded that 35-year-old Christopher Smith, a prisoner held at Lowdham Grange, died in May 2019 after “multiple failings in the care and treatment provided by prison and healthcare staff” and that his death was “contributed to by neglect.”