Coroner's warning over drug and alcohol use at The Mount prison
Shampoo and the "zombie drug" spice are being used by inmates to get high at a Hertfordshire Prison, a coroner has warned.
An inquest into the death of a prisoner at HMP The Mount in Bovingdon found drugs and alcohol are “widely available” and there is a "significant risk of future deaths" at the prison.
Assistant coroner Jonathan Stevens has ordered prison governor John Gormley and justice secretary Alex Chalk MP to come up with an action plan for the category C men's prison, near Hemel Hempstead, which has around 1,000 inmates.
The warning follows the death of Kristopher Tilbury, 29, who died in his cell between 23 September and 24 September 24, 2019.
Tilbury, who was serving an eight-year sentence, was on the Wellbeing Wing after he "recognised and accepted" drug and alcohol issues were linked with his offending.
He suffered "respiratory depression" – hypoventilation – after combining alcohol with synthetic cannabinoids, drugs also known as spice.
In his Prevention of Future Deaths Report, which was published in September 2023, Mr Stevens said: "He was found with a mobile phone in his hand and drug paraphernalia nearby in his cell with the smell of [redacted] in the air.
"The jury also recorded that despite Mr Tilbury’s known drug and alcohol issues and residing on the prison’s additionally supported Wellbeing Wing, drug paraphernalia was found in his cell including [redacted] and evidence of shamboiling."
Shamboiling reportedly involves boiling shampoo to get high, according to a viral 2012 CNN iReport story.
In his report, the assistant coroner made reference to four more deaths at HMP The Mount since September 2019 – two in July 2022 and two in January 2023.
"Four years after the death of Mr Tilbury, drugs and alcohol are still widely available in The Mount, and continue to create a significant risk of future deaths," Mr Stevens concluded.
Writing to Mr Gormley and Mr Chalk, he added: "Action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you and/or your organisation have the power to take such action."
They have to respond to the report within 56 days.
A drugs problem was identified at The Mount in May 2018 by HM Inspectorate of Prisons, 16 months before Tilbury’s death.
Inspectors found "levels of violence were comparatively high and most related to drugs and debt".
And fewer than half of necessary intelligence-led searches were completed with most suspicion drug tests being missed.
Mandatory drug testing highlighted that nearly a third of prisoners were also using illegal drugs.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: "Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Kristopher Tilbury and we will carefully consider the coroner’s findings.
"HMP The Mount is taking decisive action to combat drugs in the prison including reintroducing mandatory drug testing and ramping up searches.
"We have also invested £100million into tougher security measures across the prison estate – such as X-ray body scanners – to find and stop more contraband entering jails."
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