Fury as notorious jail with 700 spaces remains shut over health fears… while 1,700 lags are freed due to overcrowding

ONE of Britain’s most notorious jails has stood empty for two months — while 1,700 lags were freed due to overcrowding under PM Sir Keir Starmer’s hated early-release scheme.

Nearly 700 inmates at HMP Dartmoor were forced to move to other crammed jails after health officials detected high levels of radioactive radon gas.

The final 175 were relocated in mid-July when a plan to “purge” the colourless and odourless gas failed.

But experts claim the problem at the jail in Princetown, Devon, should have taken just days to fix.

Last night, Tory MP Sir Alec ­Shelbrooke branded the situation a “farce”, while Conservative leadership candidate James Cleverly said it was “astounding”.

It comes after 1,700 convicts — including robbers and drug dealers — walked free from Category B and C prisons because of overcrowding last week, under the Prime Minister’s controversial SDS40 plan.

Two Devon jails, Category C ­Channings Wood and Category B Exeter, released 14 inmates on Tuesday.

A further 31 were let go from Portland prison, 80 miles away in Dorset, after serving less than half their sentences.

Some 5,000 prisoners, including killers convicted of manslaughter, will be allowed back on Britain’s streets early over the next 18 months.

Former Tory minister Sir Alec said he feared Dartmoor’s shutdown would trigger more dangerous lags to be released because bungling pen-pushers are failing to get the 218-year-old granite lock-up fixed.

The MP said: “It is farcical that while prisoners are being released because of overcrowding, this ­significant jail is left totally empty.

“It will obviously continue to have a knock-on effect on other prisons in the area because they are now even more overloaded.

“The Government has complained about budget black holes which have stopped it from making more prison space, and because of that, they say they have had to free prisoners.

“There needs to be less bureaucracy and more action.

“The Justice Secretary needs to act now to have prisoners back safely in this jail by this time next week.”

Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly said: “This is yet more evidence that Labour leapt at releasing thousands of criminals on to our streets — putting the public at risk — without first exploring and exhausting every available option.

“When we were in government, we worked to resolve the radon issue at Dartmoor and reopen cells.

“It’s astounding Labour have given up and chosen to release prisoners instead.

“Labour urgently need to bring Dartmoor back online.”

These systems can be fitted in two or three days. I did a prison in Bridgend where they moved the inmates from one section to the other. We were in and out in a day

David Rees, engineer

Levels of radon are typically higher in parts of the country rich in granite, such as tiny Princetown, which has a population of just 1,500.

Radon build-ups can usually be fixed quickly by installing a pump and improving a building’s ventilation system.

Gas levels were found to be ten times above maximum working levels in 2020 and 2023, according to Ministry of Justice figures.

It means officials had known about the problem developing for years, with the first efforts to reduce exposure to radon launched in 2022.

Avoidable situation

Gas specialist David Rees, boss of safety firm Air Quality Testing, said he saw “no reason” for the current shutdown to drag on any longer.

He told The Sun on Sunday: “Certainly if a decision had been taken about what to do, someone could have been in and installed a system within days. There’s no reason for it to have been left this long.

“These systems can be fitted in two or three days. I did a prison in Bridgend where they moved the inmates from one section to the other. We were in and out in a day.

“So I’m not sure why it’s taking so long, to be honest.”

The expert said radon pump installations were often delayed because of bureaucracy.

He added: “There is a period of testing after, so maybe part of it is safety and they don’t want to be criticised.”

Local councillor Philip Sanders said he feared the jail would never reopen — putting an even tighter squeeze on the prison system and forcing dozens of staff out of jobs.

He said: “No one seems to really know what’s going on.

“Inevitably, if — and I suspect it is an ‘if’ — they get round to doing something about the radon, that may be some months away.

“My personal view is that I’d be surprised if it opened again.

“My concern is for the local ­supply chains, because the prison gets its supplies and services from the local area. Inevitably, when something like this closes everybody is adversely affected.”

Historic jail

Efforts to find a quick solution may also have been hampered by the granite superstructure being a Grade II listed building.

The six-wing jail was built in the early 1800s and housed French and American prisoners from the Napoleonic War and the War of 1812.

It closed in 1816 after all foreign inmates were released or sent home and did not reopen until 1850, when it was repurposed for civilians.

Prison bosses were forced to call in the Health and Safety Executive after the leak — and the body is continuing to investigate the cause of the gas.

The Health and Safety Executive said: “We have written to His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service informing them of legal requirements relating to radon exposures.

“The legal duty to keep prisoners and staff safe rests with HMPPS.

“However, our investigation is ongoing and we cannot comment further at this time.”

The Ministry of Justice said: “After close monitoring of the situation at HMP Dartmoor, it has been temporarily closed and we are exploring how it can be reopened.”