Probe into five prison suicides

Penal experts are alarmed by the deaths at Whitemoor

A specialist investigation team is to be sent into a high-security jail after five of its prisoners committed suicide in just over a year.

The deaths at Whitemoor Prison, Cambridgeshire, has alarmed penal experts who are now calling for an urgent independent inquiry.

The Howard League for Penal Reform described the prison's barometer of health as "jumping off the scale".

The Ministry of Justice was unavailable to comment on the matter.

Suicides at prisons in England and Wales have increased from 67 in 2006 to 92 in 2007 - a jump of 37%, the Howard League for Penal Reform said.

There have been five suicides in 14 months at Whitemoor, which has about 450 prisoners.

Director of the Howard League for Penal Reform, Frances Crook, said: "We are concerned when any prison sees a spate of suicides and the situation at Whitemoor is particularly worrying given that the prison hadn't seen any self-inflicted deaths for some years.

SUICIDES AT WHITEMOOR Christopher Vaggers, 31, serving a 10-year sentence for rape. Found hanged on 19 November, 2006 Patrick Purcell, 40, died on 17 February, 2007 after tying a ligature around his neck Jonathan Durrant, 25, serving life for GBH. Found dead in his cell from self-inflicted wounds on 25 July David Croke, 64, serving life for murder, hanged himself on 20 November James Forgan, 42, serving life for rape. Found dead in his cell on 10 December, 2007

"Deaths at overcrowded local jails are one thing but high security prisons don't suffer the same stretch in staff and resources."

Ms Crook said she hoped that any problems highlighted by the report would be "dealt with as soon as possible".

"The rate of self-inflicted deaths in custody is a barometer of the health of our prisons.

"Over the last year or so, the suicide rate at Whitemoor has jumped off the scale," she added.

Henry Bellingham, a local MP and shadow minister of justice, said: "To have one or two suicides might be highly unfortunate and bad luck but to have the number we've had at Whitemoor indicates systemic problems with the regime."

Whitemoor has a specialist Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder unit, which deals with some of the most difficult offenders, and holds a number of al-Qaeda terrorists.