HM Prison High Down

HMP High Down
Location Banstead, Surrey
Security class Adult Male/Category B
Capacity 1208
Opened 1990s
Managed by HM Prison Services
Governor Sally Hill
Website High Down at justice.gov.uk

HM Prison High Down is a Category B men's local prison. High Down is located on the outskirts of Banstead in Surrey, England (overlooking Banstead Downs), and is immediately adjacent to the southern boundary of Belmont in Greater London. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service, and is situated in proximity to Downview Prison for women.

History

High Down Prison was built in the 1990s on the site previously occupied by Banstead Hospital. In November 2010 the prison football team played a friendly match against League Two side Wycombe Wanderers, losing 8-0.[1]

The prison today

High Down Prison accepts prisoners (both convicted and on remand) from Croydon and Guildford Crown Courts and surrounding Magistrates' Courts.[2] There is a visitors centre at the prison with facilities including Baby changing facilities and a Crèche.[3] Conditions for prisoners deteriorated badly following staff cuts.[4]

Accommodation and facilities

Support includes: Sentence planning, drug counseling, First Night in Prison scheme and Bail Information Scheme. The prison has a Detox unit. Prisoners can wear own clothes rather than uniforms. Showers are provided on each landing. A pinphone system is in use.

Healthcare

The prison has an in-patient capacity of 23 beds in single cells, with a Day Centre facility within in-patient area for both in-patients and outpatients and has an Integrated Substance Misuse service. Dental services are provided three times a week, optician services fortnightly, chiropody services weekly, asthma services weekly and sexual health services weekly. GP and out of hours services are available. An Associate Specialist Psychiatrist attends daily 5 days a week and a Consultant Psychiatrist attends three sessions per week.

Notable inmates

  • Gary Glitter - jailed for 16 years at Southwark Crown Court in 2015 following conviction for multiple historic child sexual offences, was moved to HMP High Down one month into his sentence.[5]
  • Chris Lewis - former England cricketer was jailed in 2009 for drug smuggling and spent 6 years at the prison.

References

  1. ↑ "PLAYERS VISIT HIGHDOWN PRISON". wycombewanderers.co.uk. 19 November 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 17 November 2009. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
  3. ↑ "Welcome to GOV.UK". www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk.
  4. ↑ "Gary Glitter 'protected by tobacco guards' inside High Down prison". Your Local Guardian.
  5. ↑ "Paedophile singer Gary Glitter moved to island sex offender jail".

Coordinates: 51°20′08″N 0°11′23″W / 51.3355°N 0.1897°W / 51.3355; -0.1897

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