Managed by HM Prison Services Phone +44 1522 666700 | Governor Jamie Bennett Opened 1985 | |
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Location Morton Hall, Lincolnshire Population 392 (as of October 2006) Website Morton Hall at justice.gov.uk Address Swinderby, Lincoln LN6 9PT, UK Security class Prisoner security categories in the United Kingdom Similar Prison Departme Home Offi, Lincoln Crown Court, HMP Lincoln, HM Prison, Lincolnsh Echo | ||
IRC Morton Hall is an Immigration Removal Centre located in the village of Morton Hall (near Lincoln) in Lincolnshire, England. The centre is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service, and was previously a women's prison.
History
Morton Hall was originally the site of an RAF base, which was converted into a prison and opened in 1985. It was expanded in 1996, and refitted to become a semi-open women's prison in 2001. Two ready to use units were opened in 2002, increasing overall capacity. From that time Morton Hall has been developing as a prison holding a high percentage of foreign nationals.
In January 2004, Morton became the first prison in England (along with HMP Kirkham) to trial the Intermittent Custody Scheme. The scheme saw some inmates held at Morton Hall from Monday to Friday (released at weekends), while another set of prisoners were held on Saturdays and Sundays (released during the week). The scheme was designed to allow prisoners on short sentences to remain in employment, independent housing and maintain family ties during their jail terms. The scheme was subsequently abandoned in November 2006.
In May 2004, a report from the Prison Reform Trust called for more facilities and support for foreign prisoners held at Morton Hall. The Trust noted improvements at the jail, but stated that more resources and staff training were needed to improve the regime at Morton Hall.
Morton Hall was recategorised as a closed women's prison in 2009. The prison held a high percentage of foreign nationals, and had a resettlement unit for prisoners coming to the end of their sentence who were settling in the UK.
In 2011 Morton Hall closed and re-opened as an Immigration Removal Centre, holding adult males awaiting deportation. The centre was formally opened on 1 June 2011 by Immigration Minister Damian Green. On 5 September 2014 Rubel Ahmed, a 26-year-old detainee, died in controverted circumstances at Morton Hall, causing some rioting and prompting calls for an independent inquiry. In April 2015 several detainees started refusing food, in solidarity with a hunger strike at Harmondsworth immigration detention centre.