The Council of Europe’s anti-torture committee found severe staff shortages at HMP Styal and HMP Eastwood Park, and said Styal must urgently meet fire safety rules.
A male officer at HMP Styal who met a woman at a hotel the day after she left the prison has received a suspended sentence for misconduct in a public office.
Inspectors found safety and activity had slipped at the Cheshire women's prison, with four self-inflicted deaths since 2021. Release planning improved to good, and new leaders brought a sense of optimism.
The inspectorate's report on HMP & YOI Styal, published in January 2022, rated the Cheshire women's prison reasonably good on all four tests but found violence up and many houses in poor condition.
