Inmates 'suicidal' after prisons scandal

The foreign prisoners scandal last year led to more self-harming and an increase in overcrowding, the prisons watchdog has said.

Many inmates were kept behind bars beyond the end of their sentences after it was revealed more than 1,000 criminals from overseas were freed without being considered for deportation.

Now, a report by the Chief Executive of Prisons, Anne Owers, says the extra time spent in prison made foreign nationals feel suicidal and that some resorted to harming themselves.

The scandal, which cost former Home Secretary Charles Clarke his job, revealed a number of flaws in the prison system which have still not been resolved, Ms Owers added.

The research also found some British citizens were wrongly held beyond the end of their sentences.

Ms Owers said: "Foreign nationals, suddenly and unexpectedly threatened with deportation, found it impossible to find out what was happening to them and were held in prisons and immigration removal centres far past their sentence expiry dates - even those who were desperate to return home."

She added: "One stark indicator of their predicament was the increased prevalence of self-harm.

"Foreign nationals reported feeling suicidal, due to the uncertainty of their position; and Independent Monitoring Boards and establishments reported increased self-harm and suicide attempts."

Director general of the Home Office's Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Lin Homer, said: "Public protection must be our first priority, that means foreign national prisoners are not released without consideration of deportation.

"The speed of deportation is often very largely dependent on the co-operation of individuals. In many cases that is not, and frankly will not, be forthcoming."

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