PHOTOCOPYING inmates’ letters has helped arrest concerns over drugs infiltrating a young offenders’ prison, a report has revealed.

The latest report on HMYOI Deerbolt stated officers at the young offenders’ institution near Barnard Castle have taken the unusual step to prevent drug-laced paper being smuggled into the prison.

The annual report, which was compiled by the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) looking at the period between October 2016 and September 2017, said “significant amounts of contraband” had been getting into the prison earlier last year.

However, it said “speedy and flexible” anti-drugs action - including replacing outer cell windows, searching prisons from the exercise yard and banning un-escorted prisoner movement - had reversed the amounts reaching inmates.

A spokesman for the prison, which houses up to 500 offenders aged 18 to 23, said the 12 volunteer board members were happy the problem had been addressed, while work is ongoing at jails in the region, such as Holme House, in Stockton, to tackle what officers describe as a “drugs crisis”.

Last year, an inspection at Holme House found there was a “very serious” drugs problem. Inspectors said other issues at Deerbolt which had improved in the last year included preparing prisoners for release and the provision of relevant education and training for them.

However, board members also saw problems with high staff turnover, along with some instances of staff shortage and some serious questions about the adequacy of services provided by contractors.

The board also noted one instance of excessive use of force on a prisoner, but prompt intervention by an IMB member helped ensure it was investigated, resulting in the officer being dismissed and being handed a suspended prison sentence.

IMB chairwoman Carol Charlton, said: “Prison life is not an easy for anyone, we work to be sure that Deerbolt is a fair and humane place to be.”