Leyhill Prison was originally a United States military hospital built for the Second World War. The site was converted into a prison in 1946, with inmates originally being housed in hutted accommodation. The prison was rebuilt in the late 1970s to early 1980s, and in 1986 prisoners were re-housed in new living accommodation. In 2002 new accommodation units were added to increase the prison's capacity. In a March 2002 report, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons criticised Leyhill for failing to prepare inmates for release, stating that too little was being done to help inmates get ready for the pressures of life outside. The report also claimed that staff had no clear idea of their role at the prison. In May 2006, it was revealed that more than one inmate a week was escaping from Leyhill Prison, although technically inmates cannot escape, only abscond from an open prison. Statistics showed that 66 prisoners had walked out of Leyhill in the 2005/06 financial year. The Prison Service claimed the number of escapes was down to population pressures in the UK prison estate, with less trustworthy prisoners being transferred to open prisons like Leyhill.
The prison today
Leyhill is a prison for adult male prisoners of Category D status, meaning that either a Parole Board or the Prison Service has deemed them suitable for Open conditions. At the time of the last inspection in September 2016, more than 60% of the prisoners at Leyhill were convicted Sex Offenders, and the prison were planning to increase this to around 90% by June 2017. Leyhill was strongly criticised for failing to properly manage the risks posed by this population, and not assisting enough with effective resettlement. Leyhill runs a variety of courses designed to help prisoners prepare for release. These include a general joinery woodwork shop ; a printing shop; a commercial laundry; Industrial Cleaning and Car-Valeting training; Waste Management and Recycling training; and Forklift truck and Tractor Training. The prison's farms and gardens also provide work and training for prisoners on a 55-hectare estate, including extensive ornamental grounds. There is a nationally important arboretum run in conjunction with the Forestry Commission; it is often open to the public. As an open prison a number of prisoners at Leyhill are placed in the community to complete work and training placements. These placements are designed with the focus of improving a prisoner's chance of successful resettlement in the community on release. In November 2016 three potentially violent prisoners absconded.
Notable inmates
Ali Dizaei, the disgraced Metropolitan Police commander
Leslie Grantham, served the final part of a sentence for murder at Leyhill before being released in 1977 and going on to land himself numerous roles as a TV actor, most notably as Den Watts in EastEnders
T. Dan Smith, the Newcastle politician disgraced by the Poulson affair
Luke McCormick,, served seven years and four months for two counts of Death by Dangerous Driving and one count of Driving/Attempting To Drive Whilst Exceeding The Prescribed Limit which resulted in the deaths of 10-year-old Aaron Peak and 8-year-old Ben Peak. He was sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.
