HMP Wandsworth is still “inhumane and unfit for purpose”, according to the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) 2024/25 report.
While there are encouraging sign that the the scandal-hit South West London prison has begun improving, the Victorian-era Category B men’s prison continues to face serious challenges, with staffing shortages and overcrowding at the heart of its ongoing issues.
Built in 1851 as the Surrey House of Correction, Wandsworth was originally designed according to the separate system principle, with individual cells and in-cell toilet facilities. These toilets were removed to increase capacity, and prisoners were required to “slop out” until 1996, highlighting a long history of adapting facilities to meet the needs of an expanding population. Today, the prison holds between 1,300 and 1,500 men, far above its intended capacity, with more than 90 per cent of prisoners sharing cells built for single occupancy.
Staffing continues to be the most urgent issue at Wandsworth. The IMB found that the prison often operates with fewer than 85 officers on duty to manage almost 1,500 men, with officers frequently absent, inexperienced or demotivated. This shortage affects every aspect of prison life: prisoners are regularly locked in cramped cells for up to 22 hours a day, limiting opportunities for exercise, showers, access to the kiosk, educational activities, and even basic healthcare. The report stressed that without fundamental changes to staffing and infrastructure, the prison will remain “inhumane and unfit for purpose.”
Conditions at the historic prison remain harsh. Broken windows, ageing buildings, and hot water pipes running through cells contribute to dangerously cold winters and uncomfortably hot summers. Inadequate ventilation has encouraged mould and vermin, further undermining safety and hygiene. While violence has fallen from previous years—with prisoner-on-staff assaults dropping from 518 to 354, and prisoner-on-prisoner assaults from 442 to 360—the prison still struggles with self-harm incidents, totalling 726 cases involving 261 men, down from 998 incidents the previous year.
Recent security improvements were prompted by the infamous escape of Daniel Abed Khalife in September 2023. Khalife, a former British Army network engineer accused of spying for Iran, escaped Wandsworth while on remand in a chef’s uniform, using bedsheet strapping to attach himself to the underside of a food delivery van. The escape sparked a nationwide police search, including airport and port security alerts, and prompted a review of the prison’s procedures. Khalife was captured three days later in Northolt and later convicted of spying for Iran, receiving a sentence of 14 years and three months in February 2025. The incident revealed 81 security failings at Wandsworth, which have since been reduced to three “significant” and one “critical” issues, all of which were addressed immediately.
The prison’s troubled reputation is not new. Wandsworth has been the site of 135 executions between 1878 and 1961, with the last executions taking place in 1961. Historically, it has been associated with corporal punishment, overcrowding, and prison reform attempts that have repeatedly fallen short. In more recent decades, scandals have included staff misconduct, drug smuggling, and failures in reform programmes. Despite temporary improvements under the Prison and Safety Reform of 2016, many of the promised changes failed to materialise fully on the ground, leaving prisoners and staff with limited support.
The IMB report praised new leadership at the prison for beginning to address some long-term problems, noting a “sense of strategic direction” and a cautious recovery. However, it emphasised that consistent staffing is essential to maintain safety and provide an adequate regime for prisoners. On average, a third of staff are absent daily, making routine operations challenging and creating additional stress for those on duty.
HMP Wandsworth also offers educational and training programmes, two gyms, a sports hall, and a large multi-faith chaplaincy catering to Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist, Mormon, and Jehovah’s Witness prisoners. Despite these facilities, the lack of adequate staffing and prisoner engagement often limits access, leaving many inmates idle for long periods. Drug abuse remains a serious problem, with cannabis openly smoked and harder drugs circulating, compounded by allegations of staff corruption.
Prison reform advocates, including Glyn Travis of the Prison Officers Association, have expressed concern over the prison’s lost reform status. Travis stated that staff had previously engaged positively with reforms under former governors, but changing government agendas and inconsistent investment have left the prison vulnerable once again. Critics also point to insufficient use of body scanners and limited anti-ligature equipment for staff, despite several suicides in recent years.
The Ministry of Justice has pledged further investment of up to £300 million to improve conditions at Wandsworth and other prisons, alongside measures to increase staffing levels and enhance security. A spokesperson confirmed that while progress is being made, more work is required to make the prison safe, secure, and humane for both staff and prisoners.
HMP Wandsworth remains a microcosm of broader challenges within the UK prison system: overcrowding, inadequate staffing, ageing infrastructure, and complex security risks. While the prison has begun to recover from its lowest points, including improvements in violence reduction and operational oversight, inspectors warn that the journey towards a fully humane and functional prison environment is far from complete. Without sustained investment, staffing reforms, and infrastructure upgrades, Wandsworth is likely to continue facing serious criticisms and operational challenges for years to come.
