Mould and ‘Mushrooms’ on Prison Walls Revealed by Whistleblower

An anonymous informant has disclosed that staff members at a correctional facility, which accommodates some of the UK’s most infamous criminals, are contending with issues of moisture, fungal growth, and deteriorating overhead structures. Images captured within HMP Frankland, situated close to Durham, and reviewed by the BBC, illustrate systemic issues across the facility, where prisoners include Ian Huntley, convicted of the Soham murders, and serial killer Levi Bellfield. In response to these visuals, Phil Hannant, a member of the Prison Officers Association’s National Executive Committee, stated that “infrastructures are failing”. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced an investment of £220m for the maintenance of prison and probation services during the current financial year, with a further allocation of up to £300m planned for 2025-26, aimed at enhancing facility conditions. Mr. Hannant, a former employee at Frankland, commented: “There is mould to the point where large mushrooms are growing out of the walls.” He added: “There is water constantly dropping from the ceiling.” He further elaborated: “Prison officers generally do get on with it, until conditions hit the level where we can’t because it’s a risk to our safety.” Problems related to dampness and mould have been officially recorded in inspection reports concerning the Category A prison since 2020. Inmates are eligible to seek financial recompense if their personal possessions incur damage. The anonymous source reported that a staff member required hospital treatment after sustaining an eye injury from falling debris when a section of a ceiling gave way. Furthermore, malfunctioning boilers have resulted in prisoners spending extended periods in their cells, as rehabilitation workshops are unable to operate effectively in excessively cold conditions. The National Audit Office (NAO) has indicated that substandard conditions in certain correctional facilities would persist in impacting their capacity to house inmates. It also reported that 23,000 prison accommodations in England and Wales, representing a quarter of the total, failed to comply with fire safety regulations, and the maintenance backlog for HM Prison and Probation Service had escalated to £1.8bn over the past four years, a twofold increase. Mr. Hannant remarked: “Infrastructures are failing and, ultimately, that possibly could lead to escapes when things like alarm bells or gates are failing.” He added: “We are the forgotten service, we are behind a big wall.” He concluded: “The public don’t see the conditions staff are working in.” The NAO projected that an expenditure of £2.8bn over the next five years would be necessary to elevate the entire prison estate to a “fair” state, an amount exceeding twice its present maintenance spending. The MoJ stated its intention to establish 14,000 additional prison accommodations and construct four new correctional facilities within the coming seven years. It also mentioned that modifications to planning regulations would facilitate a faster construction process for prisons.