Inmates say drugs 'easy to get'

The Prison Service said staff were receiving extra training

A Warwickshire jail has a "significant drugs problem" with half the inmates claiming it is easy to get hold of them, a prisons watchdog has found.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers said in a report into Onley Prison, near Rugby, that drug testing targets were not being met.

Ms Owers said 54% of inmates claimed they could obtain illegal drugs.

However, the jail, which has 640 inmates, was praised for the standard of healthcare.

Ms Owers added in her report that she understood some inmates had even gone into the jail's segregation unit to avoid drug debts.

She also criticised the relationship between staff and inmates as "not sufficiently good".

The report said: "Though it remained a largely safe and decent establishment, Onley was not an effective training prison at the time of this inspection."

Prison Service director general Phil Wheatley said officials at the jail were working to address "gaps in education and training".

He said a vocational training manager and new instructors had been appointed to ensure all staff were given the necessary information.