Millsike: A prison that was supposed to be part of the solution has already become part of the problem  

The Howard League for Penal Reform has responded to the Independent Monitoring Board’s (IMB) report on Millsike prison, published today (Thursday 3 September).

Millsike is a private prison run by Mitie Care and Custody. This is the prison’s first IMB report since it opened in April 2025.  

The report highlights a wide range of problems linked to the prison’s “chaotic” opening, with “inexperienced staff not knowing what to do and how to work with prisoners”. Basic processes such as drawing keys, locking doors and counting the number of people held in the prison, were not established by the time people started to arrive. 

The IMB was disappointed that design faults evident in two other recently constructed prisons, Fosse Way and Five Wells, had not resulted in changes to the design at Millsike. The report states that the design of the landings creates blind spots for staff.

The report adds that someone who was on constant watch for weeks “was still able to self-harm on a regular basis”.   

Andrea Coomber KC (Hon.), Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “Only a couple of days after the government proudly announced plans to buy more land for prisons, and to build them more quickly, this astonishing report reveals how a desperate search for extra places can jeopardise the safety of people living and working behind bars.

“Faced with a prison capacity crisis of its own creation, the Ministry of Justice rushed to open Millsike too quickly, setting the jail up for failure from the word ‘go’. What ministers saw as part of the solution has now, with grim inevitability, become part of the problem – a chaotic jail with cells left empty because there aren’t enough staff to run it safely.

“For decades, successive governments have tried to build their way out of the prisons crisis – but the crisis is still here. The only route out of this mess is via decisive action to reverse the trend of imposing ever longer prison sentences. Why open more Millsikes when we could be pumping billions into hospitals, schools and jobs instead?” 

Notes to editors 

1. The Howard League for Penal Reform is the oldest penal reform charity in the world. It is a national charity working for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison.
2. The annual report for Millsike prison will be available on the IMB website at: www.imb.org.uk  

Contact 

Noor Khan
Press and Public Affairs Officer
Tel: +44 (0)20 7241 7873
Email: [email protected]