Swaleside inspection report 2026
Report for Swaleside Prison
Summary
Our inspection of Swaleside, a category B training prison on the Isle of Sheppey, revealed a prison in disarray, with the lowest scores in my five years as chief inspector. Containing 879 men, most of whom were serving long or indeterminate sentences, levels of violence were some of the highest of any prison in England and Wales and assaults on staff, many of which were serious, had more than doubled since our last inspection in 2023. Much of the violence had been driven by the large amounts of drugs being brought into the prison by drones. Drug debts and gang rivalry were often the cause of assaults, and many prisoners were routinely making and carrying weapons. Long-term difficulties with staffing meant that only three-quarters of officers were available for duty, while a lack of operational support grades meant that enhanced gate security to prevent the ingress of contraband was inconsistent. Morale amongst officers during our inspection was very poor; many looked exhausted and some appeared to have become disassociated from the chaos around them.