Inspectors criticise police custody in Essex

An HM Inspectorate of Prisons and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) report into police custody arrangements in the county says: “Where bail for children and young people was considered inappropriate, there was no local authority safe accommodation available to place them while awaiting a court appearance, which resulted in overnight detention in police cells.”

The report, which follows an unannounced inspection in January, adds: “As a result of early court cut-off times, some detainees were held far longer in police custody than would otherwise be necessary, and we were not reassured that the complaints process was robust or consistent.”

An Essex Police spokeswoman said: “In this report the HMIC noted that many sergeants are reluctant to keep children in cells overnight and that custody is never used as a place of safety for children.

“Essex Police continues to work with partner agencies to find solutions to this issue.”

Inspectors were also concerned at the condition of detention rooms for children and young people at Braintree, which they described as “grim”.

Inspectors visiting Braintree were “not assured that the specific needs of children and young people were always identified and met”.

Another concern raised in Essex was police treating 17-year-olds in custody as adults.

While inspectors conceded that this is in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, they noted that in April this year the High Court ruled that it was incompatible with human rights law.

The government has accepted this judgment.

Inspectors say that it will continue to recommend that 17-year-olds in custody are treated as children until there is a change in the law.

The Essex Police spokeswoman added that a custody refurbishment programme is now in place to improve custody suites and since April officers call for an appropriate adult for all 17-year-olds in custody.

In a joint statement Nick Hardwick, chief inspector of prisons, and Dru Sharpling, HM inspector of constabulary, said: “The force has begun to take the opportunities presented by central management, but staffing levels were not always adequate to ensure safe and decent management of detainees.

“The refurbishment programme needs to continue to bring all the suites up to an acceptable standard.”

In total nine, 24-hour custody suites were inspected in Basildon, Braintree, Chelmsford, Clacton, Colchester, Grays, Harlow, Rayleigh and Southend.

They also visited a part-time custody suite at Stansted Airport.