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Court custody facilities in Lincolnshire, Leicestershire & Rutland and Northamptonshire

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Inspection report - Court custody facilities in Lincolnshire, Leicestershire & Rutland and Northamptonshire (PDF, 724.9 KB)

Report on an inspection visit to court custody facilities in Lincolnshire, Leicestershire & Rutland and Northamptonshire by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons 23 June – 5 July 2025

What we found

Significant progress had been made, with over 90% of previous recommendations either fully or partially achieved. Custody staff were compassionate, demonstrated strong de-escalation skills, and rarely used force.

However, too many detainees were held in custody for too long, cells in some court custody facilities were in very poor condition, with graffiti and potential ligature points, and some older facilities were cramped and lacked private spaces for interviews.

Points to note: Systemic issues beyond the immediate control of custody staff meant mentally unwell detainees waited too long for Mental Health Act assessments and diversion to specialist care and treatment. Rushed release arrangements with insufficient questions failed to identify if detainees were homeless, suffered with addiction, or had the adequate funds to travel home.