DATA reveals the kind of items confiscated from prisoners staying at HMP Berwyn – and how government investment has helped crack down on crime behind bars.

Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures obtained by the Leader under the Freedom of Information Act (2000) revealed that hundreds of items confiscated from those staying at the current largest prison in England and Wales.

In the three-year period analysed, the total number of items confiscated dropped by almost a third since the prison opened in 2017 to November 2019 (at 32.42 per cent).

Numbers expose that over 1,300 items were taken from prisoners since the Category C facility was opened in February 2017. The top find was alcohol with 307 confiscations, followed by 223 electrical items and then 247 finds for drugs.

Figures rocket to over 2,170 in the prisons first full year of operation in 2018 – with more than 780 pieces of mail topping the list of most banned items, with 313 logs of tobacco and 304 electrical items.

There was a sharp increase of almost double the contraband found between 2017 and 2018 – jumping from 1,362 to 2,172 finds.

Made with Flourish

This was followed by a major drop of almost 75 per cent and was explained by a spokesman for the Prison Service who said that tougher ‘airport-style security’ came into effect for prisoners in 2019 which is reflected in the major drop in numbers when it comes to confiscated items.

A spokesman said: “Tough airport-style security, including X-ray scanners and metal detectors, will be put into prisons across the estate to clamp down on the drugs, weapons and mobile phones that increase the risk to our officers and hinder rehabilitation.

“A £100m investment will stop the drugs, weapons and mobile phones coming in so we can safeguard victims, protect staff, cut violence and make our prisons properly equipped to reform and rehabilitate.”

The total number of items in 2019 dropped by almost three quarters compared to the previous year – from 2,172 finds falling to 982 items seized.

The Leader previously reported that HMP Berwyn was one of the seven prisons across the UK – including Bristol, Hewell, Lancaster Farms, Leeds, Liverpool and Norwich – to receive the new equipment.

Prisons Minister Lucy Frazer previously announced in August 2019 that the named the jails would be the first to benefit from Government investment.

She said: "The gate and reception are key areas of vulnerability to smuggling and more robust searching of staff, visitors and prisoners will help reduce the flow of drugs, phones and weapons.

"This game-changing package of equipment is part of the Government's new £2.75 billion investment to modernise and maintain our prisons, create 10,000 additional places, and crack down on crime behind bars."