Dartmoor Prison won't close as expected

Jail will stay open beyond 2023

One of the country's most famous prisons, Dartmoor, won't close as expected.

Torridge and West Devon MP Sir Geoffrey Cox broke the news on Twitter, saying he understands the Napoleonic-era jail will continue beyond its expected closure date of 2023.

The government announced some years ago that it wanted to close Victorian prisons. Dartmoor even predates Victoria's rule, being built by French forced labour, starting in 1806 and eventually opening in 1809.

Crumbling old buildings such as Dartmoor require a lot of maintenance, and the prison's remote location on the moors makes it difficult for families to keep in touch on visits that are limited to 90 minutes.

The prison and land is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall - Prince Charle's land no less. It houses around 650 relatively low-risk prisoners, generally serving long sentences, many of whom are sex offenders serving time at Her Majesty's Pleasure.

Terms of a new lease between Her Majesty's Prison Service and the Duchy of Cornwall have yet to be completed.

Closure plans were announced in 2013, but rising prison numbers put pressure on places. The UK jails one of the highest proportions of citizens in the western world, excluding the USA. About 85,000 people, mainly men, are currently in prison, about double the numbers of 40 years ago.

Prison reform group the Howard League has regularly campaigned for Dartmoor to close. Last year, it reported concerns about a rise of violence. Read the story here: https://bit.ly/3ef6JT8

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