Young offenders' centre slammed

The report made 180 recommendations for improvement

The treatment of prisoners at Northern Ireland's young offenders centre has been severely criticised by inspectors.

A report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons and the Criminal Justice Inspector recommends more than 180 improvements for the Hydebank centre.

They said many prisoners spend up to 20 hours a day locked in cells and the disciplinary system is overly punitive.

Prison Service director Robin Masefield said he was pleased with progress made at the centre since the inspection.

However, he added that more work needed to be done.

Hydebank Wood Young Offenders Centre in south Belfast, accommodates male prisoners aged from 16 to 21.

Inspectors who visited the centre in November said it did not perform effectively against any of four tests used to assess conditions.

They found that prisoners, including juveniles, were routinely strip-searched and unnecessarily handcuffed - and that there was a failure to investigate incidents of bullying.

It quotes the example of one juvenile who was effectively confined to his cell for six weeks and denied a visit from his mother because of a minor row with a member of staff.

It was the second inspection at the centre in two-and-a-half years and the inspectors said the situation had got worse since their last visit.

Prisons Minister Paul Goggins said he was concerned about the criticisms, but insisted that significant progress has been made to address the shortcomings identified in the report.