Racist murder jail 'like pigsty'

Zahid Mubarek, 19, was beaten to death by his own cellmate

A youth jail where a teenager was killed by his racist cellmate was "like a pigsty", a public inquiry has heard.

Officer Keith Denman agreed conditions at Feltham Young Offenders' Institution in west London were "appalling", at an inquiry into Zahid Mubarek's death.

Asked whether prisoners were so demoralised and badly behaved they were viewed as animals he replied: "I would have to agree with you, yes."

Mr Mubarek was killed by Robert Stewart, of Gtr Manchester, in 2000.

Stewart, a diagnosed psychopath from Hattersley, Tameside, battered the 19-year-old to death with a table leg, later admitting it was a racist killing.

When someone uses the word 'feed', one tends to think of cattle rather than people Advisor to the inquiry, Bobby Cummines

The public inquiry follows years of campaigning by the Mubarek family, after one was initially refused by former Home Secretary David Blunkett.

Advisor to the inquiry, Bobby Cummines, told Mr Denman : "I notice every officer that has given evidence to this inquiry, that when it comes to mealtimes they use the word 'feed'.

"Now, when someone uses the word 'feed', one tends to think of cattle rather than people.

"Is it possible that because of the prisoners themselves being so demoralised by living in such appalling conditions that they behaved so badly in one way that they were viewed like animals?"

Mr Denman agreed and added that when he first arrived at Feltham "there was no structure there at all".

Staff sickness was high and caused problems because the youth jail could not recruit new staff to replace them.

And the personnel department was in such a mess they did not know how many officers there were on the payroll, Mr Denman said.

"We found that quite a joke at the time. You could not actually say how many staff should be in post at Feltham," he said.