AN INSPECTION has found court custody facilities in Warwickshire to be ‘reasonably positive’.
But chief inspector of prisons Peter Clarke also noted in his report there were some concerns surrounding how frequently detainees were checked on and the conditions of some facilities.
The inspection was part of a series of court custody facilities carried out by HM Inspectorate of Prisons.
At the time of inspection there were 13 courts in Warwickshire and the West Midlands which had custody facilities in use, including four crown courts, seven magistrates’ courts, a youth court and an immigration and asylum tribunal.
The number of staff was found to be adequate with staff dealing with detainees well but the report highlights some weakness in staff training
Mr Clarke said: “This was a reasonably positive inspection. While we had significant concerns about some unnecessarily long stays, handcuffing practice and the physical environment in court custody facilities across West Midlands and Warwickshire, we found much good attention to detainee care.
“We have made recommendations to improve the safety and care of people detained in court custody.”
