HMP Dartmoor to close temporarily after radioactive gas found in cells - inmates set to be moved

The Ministry of Justice confirmed that the category C men’s prison will be temporarily closed, with inmates moved to another facility over the next two weeks. The department said that there would be enough capacity to cope with the temporary closure of HMP Dartmoor, but it comes at a time when capacity within the prison system is being stretched to its limits.

It is not the first time such an evacuation has taken place at the prison, in Devon. In 2023, inmates at HMP Dartmoor were evacuated after high levels of radon were found within the prison, with 400 people moved. They returned to the prison at the start of July, but this latest discovery of radon forced another evacuation.

The building, which was constructed in the early 19th century to house French prisoners during the Napoleonic Wars, had been slated to close in 2023, but this was scrapped in 2019 due to the rising pressures on the prison system. Steve Gillan, general secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA), said that conditions at HMP Dartmoor has “deteriorated”, adding: “The POA know this has come at the worst possible time with overcrowding and this could make matters worse, but there is no other option.”

Only hours before the temporary closure announcement, the government attempted to tackle overcrowding in the prison system by setting out regulations which would reduce the minimum amount of time prisoners must spent in jail before they are automatically released from 50% to 40% of their sentence. The move, which does not apply to convicted sex offenders, or those convicted of terrorism, domestic abuse and other violent offences, came as figure published on July 12 indicated that there was only 700 places left in the adult male estate.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice said: “Our prisons are in crisis. This is the most recent illustration of why this Government was forced, in its first week, to take urgent action to release pressure on the estate. It is also why we are committed to building new prison places to lock up the most dangerous offenders and protect the public.”