HM Prison Belmarsh explained

Prison Name:HMP Belmarsh
Location:Western Way, Thamesmead,
London,
Classification:Adult Male/Category A
Capacity:792
Population:675
Populationdate:August 2021
Managed By:HM Prison Services
Governor:Jenny Louis

His Majesty's Prison Belmarsh is a Category A men's prison in Thamesmead, southeast London, England. The prison is used for high-profile cases, particularly those concerning national security. Within the grounds is the High Security Unit (HSU), which consists of 48 single cells. It is run by His Majesty's Prison Service. The prison has been called "Britain's Guantanamo Bay" due to the long-term detention of terrorism suspects without charge.[1] Belmarsh is also notoriously known as "Hellmarsh" as it is considered the toughest prison in the UK and due to the high number of physical and authority abuses reported by both the prison's inmates (including former politician and convicted criminal Jeffrey Archer, who coined the name "Hellmarsh" and who was imprisoned for four years at Belmarsh for the crime of perjury) and by human rights activists.[2]

History

Belmarsh Prison was built on part of the East site of the former Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, and became operational on 2 April 1991. It adjoins Woolwich Crown Court.[3]

Between 2001 and 2002, Belmarsh Prison was used to detain a number of people indefinitely without charge or trial under the provisions of Part 4 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, leading it to be called the "British version of Guantanamo Bay".[4] The Law Lords later ruled in A v Secretary of State for the Home Dept that such imprisonment was discriminatory and against the Human Rights Act 1998.[5]

It is often used for the detention of prisoners for terrorist-related offences. In September 2006, 51 such prisoners were held.

In 2009, an archaeological dig on the site led to the discovery of a 6,000-year-old trackway, the oldest known wooden trackway in northern Europe with the exception of the Sweet Track near Glastonbury.[6]

In November 2009, an inspection report from the Chief Inspector of Prisons criticised the "extremely high" amount of force used to control inmates.[7] The report also stated that an unusually high number of prisoners had reported being intimidated or victimised by staff.

In 2010, HMP Isis Young Offenders Institution was opened within the perimeter wall.[8]

The prison today

Belmarsh is a Category A Prison holding inmates from all over England and Wales. It also houses other categories of prisoners from primarily the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) and Magistrates' Courts in South East London as well as Crown and Magistrates' Courts in South West Essex. Accommodation at the prison is a mixture of approximately 60% multi-occupancy cells and 40% single cells, distributed mainly across four residential units.[9]

Inmates at Belmarsh are offered access to education, workshops[9] and two gyms. The gym staff have a partnership with Charlton Athletic F.C. to deliver FA accredited coaching courses for prisoners.[10]

A listener scheme for prisoners at risk from suicide or self-harm is in operation as is a support group providing advice on immigration law for foreign national prisoners.[9]

Notable inmates

Current inmates

Former inmates

External links

51.4964°N 0.0929°W

Notes and References

  1. https://www.artnews.com/list/art-news/artists/wikileaks-states-of-violence-exhibition-julian-assange-1234667390/secretnoforn/ Wikileaks-Sponsored ‘States of Violence’ Exhibition
  2. Web site: In Belmarsh Prison: Radicalization or De-radicalization?. Pulitzer Center. 2018-04-30. 2024-04-06.
  3. Web site: Law Courts and Courtrooms 1: The Buildings of the Criminal Law. 12. Historic England. 1 August 2016. 21 January 2023.
  4. News: Belmarsh – Britain's Guantanamo Bay? . . 6 October 2004 . 17 November 2016.
  5. Web site: Data . The Times Online . subscription . 17 November 2016.
  6. Web site: London's earliest timber structure found during Belmarsh prison dig. Anon. 12 August 2009. physorg.com News. PhysOrg.com. 10 July 2010. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20110715214221/http://www.physorg.com/news169297178.html. 15 July 2011. dmy-all.
  7. News: 'High levels' of force at prison. BBC News . 27 November 2009 . 30 November 2009.
  8. Web site: HMP/YOI Isis – improving prison with many young men which must address violence and force.
  9. Web site: Belmarsh Prison. 2 August 2022 .
  10. Web site: CACT Over 25 Years. 2020-10-02. cact.org.uk. 19 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200919180110/https://cact.org.uk/about-us/cact-25-years. dead.
  11. News: Ali Harbi Ali appears at Old Bailey over murder of Conservative MP Sir David Amess . 23 October 2021 . . 22 October 2021.
  12. News: April 11, 2022 . Sir David Amess: Man found guilty of murdering MP . en-GB . . June 18, 2022.
  13. News: Kirk . Tristan . Motorist admits killing two people in Romford pile-up . . 14 July 2021 . 12 August 2021.
  14. Web site: Rowlands . Saskia . Perrin . Ben . 2023-10-29 . Rapist police officer 'beaten black and blue' spends 23-hours-a-day in jail cell . 2023-10-30 . Birmingham Live . en.
  15. News: Casciani . Dominic . Soho nail bomber David Copeland sentenced for prison attack . . 28 October 2015 .
  16. News: 2023-07-27 . Sgt Matiu Ratana shooting: Killer Louis De Zoysa will never be freed . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-07-27.
  17. Web site: What happened to the 'Night Stalker' depicted in Manhunt after he was caught by Colin Sutton. inews.com. 30 September 2021.
  18. News: Wembley park killings: Danyal Hussein jailed for life for murdering sisters . 29 October 2021 . . 28 October 2021.
  19. Web site: Henry . Vaughan . Daniel Khalife escaped prison using material which may have been from bed sheets, court hears . Sky News . 11 September 2023 . 11 September 2023.
  20. News: Serial killer Stephen Port's jail letters include boasts of bedding TV star . Patrick . Hill . . 26 November 2016.
  21. News: Reading stabbings: Terror suspect Khairi Saadallah appears at Old Bailey . 16 March 2021 . . 1 July 2020.
  22. News: Scheerhout . John . Fights, revenge and jihadi neighbours - what life is like for Arena killer Hashem Abedi in Britain's toughest prison . 1 February 2021 . Manchester Evening News . 23 March 2020.
  23. News: Manchester attack plotter Hashem Abedi refusing to participate in prison deradicalisation programme . 19 November 2021 . ITV News . 28 July 2021.
  24. News: Michael Adebolajo 'attacked in jail'. 18 July 2013. BBC News. 17 November 2016.
  25. News: Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale plead not guilty to Woolwich . 27 September 2013. London Evening Standard. 17 November 2016.
  26. News: Lee Rigby killer Michael Adebowale in hospital with Covid-19 . 19 November 2021 . BBC News . 25 January 2021.
  27. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/8/newsid_2500000/2500465.stm 1999: Liar Aitken jailed for 18 months
  28. "Abu Hamza: from Soho bouncer to hook-handed cleric of hate." The Daily Telegraph. 10 April 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  29. News: De Simone . Daniel . Sudesh Amman: Who was the Streatham attacker? . BBC News . 3 February 2020 . 1 February 2021.
  30. News: Rebaza. Claudia. Siad. Arnaud. Britton. Bianca. British MPs urge government to extradite Julian Assange to Sweden. CNN. April 13, 2019. April 15, 2019.
  31. Web site: Priti Patel, hear this loud and clear: Julian Assange must not be handed over to the US | Duncan Campbell . . 10 May 2022.
  32. News: Radical preacher Anjem Choudary to stand trial on terror charges . BBC News . 28 August 2015 . 28 August 2015.
  33. News: 30 September 2021 . Sarah Everard murder: Wayne Couzens given whole-life sentence . en-GB . BBC News . 13 February 2022.
  34. News: Richard Huckle filmed himself abusing children and shared videos and pictures with fellow paedophiles on the dark web . Sky News . 1 June 2016.
  35. News: Prolific Paedophile Gets 22 Life Sentences . Sky News . 6 June 2016 . 25 May 2023.
  36. News: Rajani . Deepika . HMP Belmarsh inmates: from Tommy Robinson to Ian Huntley, the high-profile convicts detained at the London prison . 4 February 2021 . inews . 10 July 2020.
  37. News: Evans . Martin . Bird . Steve . Wilford . Greg . Who was Usman Khan? The attacker who hoodwinked authorities to fulfil his terrorism dream of targeting London . The Telegraph . 30 November 2019 . 2 November 2021.
  38. News: Ex-inmate MP condemns UK prisons. BBC News. 12 August 2014.
  39. News: Cobain . Ian . Taylor . Matthew . Far-right terrorist Thomas Mair jailed for life for Jo Cox murder . 1 February 2021 . The Guardian . 23 November 2016.
  40. News: Aspden . Kester . The making of a bedsit Nazi: who was the man who killed Jo Cox? . The Guardian . 6 December 2019 . 19 November 2021.
  41. Web site: Quadri . Sami . 2023-05-02 . Prison worker 'suspended for kissing Zara Aleena's killer' . 2023-10-20 . Evening Standard . en.
  42. News: 2023-10-20 . Zara Aleena's killer Jordan McSweeney leaves sentence appeal hearing . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-10-20.
  43. News: Ross . Alice . Finsbury Park accused Darren Osborne appears at Old Bailey . The Guardian . 27 June 2017 . 4 February 2021.
  44. Web site: Darren Osborne jailed for life for Finsbury Park terrorist attack . The Guardian . 2 February 2018 . 25 June 2022.
  45. News: Finsbury Park mosque attacker fears eye loss after prison stabbing . BBC News . 11 September 2021 . 19 November 2021.
  46. News: Moore . Steven . Essex lorry deaths: Truck driver Mo Robinson 'haunted' by memory of his crime . Belfast Telegraph . 29 December 2020 . 23 October 2021.
  47. News: Pennink . Emily . Migrant deaths driver to sell 4×4 and watch to compensate victims' families . 19 November 2021 . Evening Standard . 18 November 2021.
  48. News: Norton-Taylor . Richard . Renegade ex-MI6 officer will not be prosecuted . The Guardian . 15 March 2007 . 16 March 2021.

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