Inmates moved from Brixton to 'manipulate inspections'

Three prisoners were moved before inspections in 2008

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) review has found that prisoners were transferred from Brixton Prison to "manipulate the outcome" of inspections.

Three inmates were transferred out of the south London prison in April 2008 on the day the inspection began and returned there eight days later.

Two members of staff were later found guilty of unprofessional conduct.

The review identified seven other cases in different jails but found no proof of attempts to manipulate inspections.

Last October Justice Secretary Jack Straw ordered an inquiry into whether moving out "difficult" inmates before inspections was widespread after it emerged that prisoners were transferred between Wandsworth and Pentonville Prisons.

Inspectors had found that staff at Wandsworth and Pentonville switched inmates, two of whom later harmed themselves.

Staff disciplined

The MoJ review looked at prisoner transfers in all jails between July 2007 and June 2009.

It said: "Six prisoners were moved from Pentonville to Wandsworth immediately prior to the Pentonville inspection (11-15 May), and five prisoners from Wandsworth to Pentonville immediately prior to the Wandsworth inspection (1-5 June).

"In 10 of these cases, the prisoners were then transferred back after the investigation.

"The investigation found that the 11 transfers were arranged as deliberate attempts to manipulate the outcomes of the inspections.

"Allegations were subsequently made regarding transfers from Brixton prison around the time of an HMCIP inspection.

"These were also found to be deliberate attempts to manipulate the outcomes of prison inspections."

Four members of staff were charged with disciplinary offences over transfers from Brixton Prison but in two cases those charges were later dismissed.