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| Legal high deaths triple in prisons | Legal high deaths triple in prisons |
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| An “alarming” tripling in the death toll from ‘legal highs’ in prisons has seen 58 inmates lose their lives in incidents related to the drugs in less than three years, the Prisons Ombudsman has revealed. | |
| Nigel Newcomen said that between June 2013 and January 2016 there were 58 fatalities where the prisoner was known, or strongly suspected, to have been using legal highs before their death. | Nigel Newcomen said that between June 2013 and January 2016 there were 58 fatalities where the prisoner was known, or strongly suspected, to have been using legal highs before their death. |
| The toll of 58 deaths in 30 months was three times higher than the previous figure of 19 legal high-related deaths, recorded over a similar length of time between April 2012 and September 2014. | The toll of 58 deaths in 30 months was three times higher than the previous figure of 19 legal high-related deaths, recorded over a similar length of time between April 2012 and September 2014. |
| “The statistics are alarming,” Mr Newcomen told an audience at Newbold Revel Prison Service College in Warwickshire, “And go up every time I give one of these talks.” | “The statistics are alarming,” Mr Newcomen told an audience at Newbold Revel Prison Service College in Warwickshire, “And go up every time I give one of these talks.” |
| Prisoners, he said, were dying from legal high-related murders, as well as psychotic episodes and suicides triggered by the drugs, which are known officially as New Psychoactive Substances (NPS). | Prisoners, he said, were dying from legal high-related murders, as well as psychotic episodes and suicides triggered by the drugs, which are known officially as New Psychoactive Substances (NPS). |
| “I am clear,” said Mr Newcomen, “That NPS have been a game-changer in terms of reducing safety in prison. Our work on NPS has added to the widespread concern that these substances pose serious risks to safety in prison, not least the risk of fatalities.” | “I am clear,” said Mr Newcomen, “That NPS have been a game-changer in terms of reducing safety in prison. Our work on NPS has added to the widespread concern that these substances pose serious risks to safety in prison, not least the risk of fatalities.” |
| In a frank admission of how the authorities are struggling to deal with the legal highs trade in prisons, Mr Newcomen added: “I and my staff are not experts on NPS. Nor is expertise all that easy to find. NPS are made up of a wide array of relatively new and regularly changing substances, for which testing is still in its infancy.” | In a frank admission of how the authorities are struggling to deal with the legal highs trade in prisons, Mr Newcomen added: “I and my staff are not experts on NPS. Nor is expertise all that easy to find. NPS are made up of a wide array of relatively new and regularly changing substances, for which testing is still in its infancy.” |
| Mr Newcomen’s strongly-worded speech is a further indication of the chaos being caused in prisons by legal highs, which the Government controversially banned in May. | Mr Newcomen’s strongly-worded speech is a further indication of the chaos being caused in prisons by legal highs, which the Government controversially banned in May. |
| In December a report by the Chief Inspector of Prisons warned that legal highs were now “the most serious threat to the safety and security of the prison system.” | In December a report by the Chief Inspector of Prisons warned that legal highs were now “the most serious threat to the safety and security of the prison system.” |
| In particular synthetic cannabinoids known as ‘Spice’ or ‘Mamba’ have been causing havoc. | In particular synthetic cannabinoids known as ‘Spice’ or ‘Mamba’ have been causing havoc. |
| With their precise chemical formula being changed constantly by back street manufacturers, their effects are wildly unpredictable. | With their precise chemical formula being changed constantly by back street manufacturers, their effects are wildly unpredictable. |
| They have rendered some prisoners violently psychotic towards warders or fellow inmates, and had dangerously toxic effect on others – to the extent that in some areas ambulances have to be called to legal high-related incidents in a prison so frequently that the outside community has suffered from a shortage of paramedics. Inmates have nicknamed the ambulances that arrive at the prison gates ‘mambulances’. | They have rendered some prisoners violently psychotic towards warders or fellow inmates, and had dangerously toxic effect on others – to the extent that in some areas ambulances have to be called to legal high-related incidents in a prison so frequently that the outside community has suffered from a shortage of paramedics. Inmates have nicknamed the ambulances that arrive at the prison gates ‘mambulances’. |
| This difficulty in detecting legal highs has made them easier to smuggle into jails than other drugs. This in turn has added to the problems of their unpredictability, because many prisoners switch to them in jail because of their greater availability, despite never having tried them and having no idea what will happen when they take them. | This difficulty in detecting legal highs has made them easier to smuggle into jails than other drugs. This in turn has added to the problems of their unpredictability, because many prisoners switch to them in jail because of their greater availability, despite never having tried them and having no idea what will happen when they take them. |
| Confirming previous reports that some inmates are being coerced or persuaded into becoming ‘Spice pigs’ to test new batches of drugs, Mr Newcomen said: “There are cases of prisoners being given ‘spiked’ cigarettes by others who want to test new batches of NPS, as a way of gauging the effect before taking it themselves. | Confirming previous reports that some inmates are being coerced or persuaded into becoming ‘Spice pigs’ to test new batches of drugs, Mr Newcomen said: “There are cases of prisoners being given ‘spiked’ cigarettes by others who want to test new batches of NPS, as a way of gauging the effect before taking it themselves. |
| “In other cases, prisoners have even been used as unwitting NPS guinea pigs, sometimes just for the amusement of onlookers.” | “In other cases, prisoners have even been used as unwitting NPS guinea pigs, sometimes just for the amusement of onlookers.” |
| Prisons dealers have also been using increasingly sophisticated tactics, including using drones to drop packages of legal highs to inmates. | Prisons dealers have also been using increasingly sophisticated tactics, including using drones to drop packages of legal highs to inmates. |
| With legal highs cheap to buy on the outside, and easy to sell for a high price on the inside, said Mr Newcomen, “In custody the potential profits to be made from NPS make them attractive to organised and semi-organised crime. These features compound the difficulty of reducing supply and demand for NPS in prisons.” | With legal highs cheap to buy on the outside, and easy to sell for a high price on the inside, said Mr Newcomen, “In custody the potential profits to be made from NPS make them attractive to organised and semi-organised crime. These features compound the difficulty of reducing supply and demand for NPS in prisons.” |
| Detailing how inmates were now dying in legal high-related incidents, Mr Newcomen said 39 of the 58 newly revealed fatalities were “self-inflicted: some involved psychotic episodes potentially resulting from NPS. For others, NPS use or associated drug debts appeared to exacerbate vulnerability triggering suicide and self-harm.” | Detailing how inmates were now dying in legal high-related incidents, Mr Newcomen said 39 of the 58 newly revealed fatalities were “self-inflicted: some involved psychotic episodes potentially resulting from NPS. For others, NPS use or associated drug debts appeared to exacerbate vulnerability triggering suicide and self-harm.” |
| Two deaths, he said were murders: “Both involving prisoners killed by a punch from another prisoner. In one instance, the victim had links to NPS. In the other, the perpetrator was linked to NPS.” | Two deaths, he said were murders: “Both involving prisoners killed by a punch from another prisoner. In one instance, the victim had links to NPS. In the other, the perpetrator was linked to NPS.” |
| Five deaths were the result of drug poisoning. | Five deaths were the result of drug poisoning. |
| Legal highs, said Mr Newcomen, could also hasten the fatal effects of underlying health concerns. Nine of the 58 deaths were classified as natural cause deaths where the deceased was thought to have been an NPS user at the time of death. | Legal highs, said Mr Newcomen, could also hasten the fatal effects of underlying health concerns. Nine of the 58 deaths were classified as natural cause deaths where the deceased was thought to have been an NPS user at the time of death. |
| In three further deaths, the cause of death could not be confirmed, but legal highs could not be ruled out as a possible cause. | In three further deaths, the cause of death could not be confirmed, but legal highs could not be ruled out as a possible cause. |
| Citing graphic examples of how legal highs could increase levels of bullying and violence in jails, Mr Newcomen said: “The use of NPS often results in prisoners getting into debt with prison drug dealers. This in turn creates the potential for increased self-harm or suicide among the vulnerable, as well as adding hugely to security and control problems.” | Citing graphic examples of how legal highs could increase levels of bullying and violence in jails, Mr Newcomen said: “The use of NPS often results in prisoners getting into debt with prison drug dealers. This in turn creates the potential for increased self-harm or suicide among the vulnerable, as well as adding hugely to security and control problems.” |
| A young man whom Mr Newcomen called “Mr E” was found hanged in his cell four months into a seven-year sentence. | A young man whom Mr Newcomen called “Mr E” was found hanged in his cell four months into a seven-year sentence. |
| Following his death, said Mr Newcomen, “his mother admitted that she had been putting money into various other prisoners’ bank accounts. It also emerged that Mr E had been assaulted and pressured to get NPS brought in, and the threats had continued until lock up on the day of his death.” | Following his death, said Mr Newcomen, “his mother admitted that she had been putting money into various other prisoners’ bank accounts. It also emerged that Mr E had been assaulted and pressured to get NPS brought in, and the threats had continued until lock up on the day of his death.” |
| Mr Newcomen added: “The pervasive NPS related bullying Mr E had experienced also extended to his family members, something the police were still investigating after we finished our inquiries.” | Mr Newcomen added: “The pervasive NPS related bullying Mr E had experienced also extended to his family members, something the police were still investigating after we finished our inquiries.” |