"It's our Black Hole of Calcutta": Whining Wakefield prisoners blast soaring cell temperatures

Prisoners are fainting due to the heat, it has been claimed.

While many people will struggle to foot their energy bills this winter, lags at the high-security jail, which holds some of Britain's most dangerous criminals, are reportedly collapsing as cells top 90 degrees fahrenheit day and night.

In a taped voice recording sent to the Express, a prisoner described it as being like "torture", claiming their human rights are being violated with many still locked up in their cells 23 hours a day because of the pandemic.

The unnamed prisoner said: "It's just constant, there's no thermostatic control, it's either on or off.

The MOJ has said the heating system at the prison is due to be fixed.

"They've (the prison) been ordered to resolve this matter, but in the meantime, prisoners are subjected to temperatures over 80 degrees.

"The windows are only four inches wide and they only open five inches.

"People can't sleep. I've collapsed myself and other people know have collapsed.

"This is our Black Hole of Calcutta, and the other thing is it's unlawful, it should be under the Human Rights Act for torture.

"If I was a dog in a car and it was 80-odd degrees, they'd break a window, but there's nothing done here.

"The people who look after this system have left the heating full on, that's two big pipes in each person's cell that are so hot you can't touch them, and you have the bear that 23 hours a day.

"It's not only unlawful, it's unacceptable.

"The heating at HMP Wakefield; they've never had a thermostatic control on the heating system for certainly over six years.

"People are locked in their cells for 23 hours a day with the heating turned up to 87 degrees fahrenheit.

"With temperatures like that, the spread of anything is more prevalent.

"If there's a Covid matter here, it's going to spread like wildfire."

With the price of heating sharply rising in recent weeks, many people will face a long cold winter as they try to keep their energy costs down.

The prisoner added "There are genuine hard-working people outside (of prison) who are struggling to afford their heating energy bills and we're sat here in over 80 degrees, cooking, every day.

"It's an absolute total waste of money."

The transcript of the recording was sent to the Ministry of Justice, who responded by saying: “Repairs to HMP Wakefield’s heating system will take place as soon as possible and all prisoners have time out of their cells.”

They said all cell windows design in accordance with the security requirements for a category A prison.