HMP Wymott: This is how much Leyland prison has paid out after assaults on inmates
More than £128,000 has been paid out in compensation for prisoner injury claims at Wymott Prison in the last five years.
New data obtained by Legal Expert, has revealed that between 2020 and 2024, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has paid out a total of £128,890.59 for injury claims made by prisoners at the Category C men’s prison, in Ulnes Walton.
Of that, £11,475 was paid out in compensation for claims relating to injuries caused by other prisoners. The remaining £117,416 were classed as ‘other personal injury’ which could include; injuries from bunk beds, food contamination, animal bites and asbestos.
Breakdown
In 2020, the MoJ - which is funded by the taxpayer- forked out £20,451 settling prisoner injury claims from inmates at HMP Wymott followed by £43,805 the year after and £35,734.59 in 2022. A further £18,188 was paid out in 2023 as well as £10,712 in 2024.
National picture
Figures obtained by Legal Expert revealed that prisoner injury claims in the UK have cost the MoJ an eye-watering £9.8m in the last five years. The most common injuries were from prison bunk beds - resulting in £4.5m being paid to inmate claimants since 2022.
Some £2.8m was paid in damages settling claims related to slips, trips and falls and a further £446K was paid for asbestos-related injuries.
Legal Expert solicitor Lucy Parker said: “Prisoners, like anyone else, have a right to their safety while incarcerated. We have seen many different cases over the years of prisoners suffering injuries during their incarceration, from accidents in workshops and kitchens to incidents with staff. When they are injured due to negligence, whether it's at the hands of an officer, a slip and fall, or inadequate safety measures, they have the right to seek compensation and to get legal advice on their case.”
Overcrowding
The information comes as Britain's overcrowded prisons hit record levels last year, prompting growing concerns of the safety and management of both staff and prisoners. The latest published prison population statistics show there are only just over 1,000 spaces left in men’s prisons, prompting former justice secretary David Gauke to release his Independent Sentencing Review (ISR) earlier than expected.