1. I received this from a person incarcerated in HMP Erlestoke. This is one of many accounts of an escalating situation. I need help sharing these accounts and for people to take action. @WarrCriminology @OwenJones84 @psn_ldn @novaramedia @netpol @zoeconway1 @AmnestyUK
2. ‘They’ve got prison officers going into cells spinning (searching), going into people’s self distancing space, touching all their sides and surfaces with the same gloves, or bare hands after they’ve just spun the first man’s cell on the same wing, or previous wings.’
3. ‘So that person’s gloves are contaminating from cell to cells, from wing to wing, and on top of that, in the hope of what? A phone? So you’re going to risk someone’s health/life for a phone?’
4. ‘The social distancing between the officers themselves is non-existent; there are four officers in the office, walking around every day. There’s no social distancing in the servery (canteen), there’s no social distancing when they let us out, they let us out spur by spur now.’
5. ‘A, B, C, and D go out separately, but then Wessex (wing) are out on their A, B, C and D. So then our spur go to the fence to chat to Wessex. So therefore, Wessex and Alfred might as well just be one wing!’
6. ‘Farms and gardens are still open, where they are getting multiple people from different wings, so they are still inter-mixing wings! You know what I mean? They are taking one or two off here, one or two off another wing, one or two off another wing, that’s non-essential!’
7. ‘They’re actually coming into people’s cells, they’re not coming into my cell - I made it clear, it’s not about a spin, it’s a fight. It’s like NOBODY CARES. They do not care, they’ve got no protocol, no plan, they’re not telling us nothing, it’s a disgrace!’
8. ‘They’ve taken things off the canteen that we need for vital vitamins. Everything that’s good has been taken off the canteen, eggs, onions veg, stuff we need! We don’t need crisps and chocolate! We can’t even cook the most simplest of meals now. It’s wrong on all levels.’
9. ‘Let’s get this straight, we’re second-class citizens. So in short, there is no social distancing with staff, they’re letting wings mix with each other at the fence and they’re coming into cells to do spins. You need to expose this place. This place is a death trap.’
10. Another person incarcerated in HMP Erlestoke: ‘Officers are hanging around in groups and chatting, they don't wear gloves most of the time, if they do they wear the same pair most of the day, no masks. They are still spinning cells without washing hands between cells.’
11. ‘We are being let out a couple of times a day for exercise, was in gardens yesterday with people from other wings and people were hanging in groups and not staying 2m apart from each other.’
12. ‘We are in cells. We have to just get on with it and watch tv or play Xbox because they don't give us anything to keep busy. I am bored out of my brain.’
13. A partner of a person in Erlerstoke. ‘Prisoners are being treated worse than animals. A confirmed case of Covid-19 is in the prison and the person is left in his cell to suffer in silence. Also prisoners without the virus are to live next door as normal on the same unit.’
14. ‘People with mental health issues have no help from the mental health team or experts (staff shortages?). They are also being punished for their actions due to their mental health.’
15. ‘No phones in cells, as promised by the government, and some prisoners aren't able to contact their family and love ones in this difficult time of a pandemic. Money promises (extra credit) on phone pins by the governor and still nothing 2-3 weeks later.’
16. ‘Staff and nurses do not have the correct PPE at Erlestoke to deal with Corona virus cases. This is all wrong, and in this time we should all be coming together as a country.’ #prisonerslivesmatter #nCoV2019 #prison
17. From another person incarcerated at the prison: ‘Yesterday and today they have been giving out dinner and mail etc. with no gloves on!’
You’ve seen this thread, now please don’t let this just sit here on Twitter. That’s no use to them at all. You’ve heard their pleas. Now how can YOU help to take action to help those incarcerated at HMP Erlestoke? Because this inbox remains empty.
18. Partner of person incarcerated at HMP Erlestoke: ‘My partner got a note under the door last Monday to say they had their first confirmed case in there. I just dread to think how quick it could potentially spread. He seems pretty oblivious to what's going on.’ #nCoV2019
