An independent inspection by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons into HMP Rye Hill, a G4S-run prison near Rugby in Warwickshire, has found the facility to be well-led and effective at creating a culture of meaningful rehabilitation.

Since 2014, Rye Hill has been a prison for men convicted of sexual offences, almost all of whom present a high risk of serious harm to others. At the time of the inspection, in September 2019, there were 659 prisoners at the category B facility, and more than 20 per cent were over the age of 60.

Ninety per cent of the population was serving either an indeterminate sentence or a sentence of 10 years or more.

“This is basically an effective prison delivering good outcomes,” Peter Clarke, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, wrote in his report.

“At Rye Hill, we found a well-led establishment working hard to promote the well-being of its prisoners, to sustain a credible community ethos and to create a meaningful rehabilitative culture.

“We found some very effective outcomes and while there were gaps, there was every reason to believe that the prison was very well placed to improve still further.”

Government inspectors spent 13 days at HMP Rye Hill in September, 2019, finding the prison to be “good” at promoting safety and rehabilitation and release planning, and “reasonably good” at encouraging respect and purposeful activity.

Responding to the report, G4S Director for HMP Rye Hill, Peter Small, said:

“Rye Hill is a complex prison holding a population deemed to pose a high risk to the general public. I am encouraged that inspectors found it to be a respectful place with robust support programs, low levels of violence, good recreational facilities, and an effective plan to manage harm among prisoners.

“The inspectors have made recommendations, which we will look at closely, but overall I feel this report demonstrates the diligence of my staff and G4S’s commitment to high standards.”