Inmates at Swansea Prison were paid thousands of pounds in compensation last year, it has been revealed. Information released to WalesOnline via the Freedom of Information Act has shown the total amount of cash paid out to serving prisoners and the reasons why.
The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has said payments of damages to prisoners as a result of litigation claims arising at HMP Swansea amounted to £10,900. The types of claim were slips, trips and falls, which amounted to £9,150, and bunk-bed related claims which amounted to £1,750.
The statistics span from January 1 to December 31, 2021. The MOJ would not disclose the specific circumstances surrounding each incident, instead providing the general category within which they were filed. You can get Swansea stories straight to your inbox with our newsletter.
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WalesOnline understands that where compensation is awarded to prisoners, efforts are made to seek to ensure that payments are offset against outstanding debts owed to victims and the courts. The Ministry of Justice looks to address issues in prisons that can lead to claims and learn from each instance to prevent similar cases in the future.
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Justice said claims are only settled when it is likely it will save money for the taxpayer.
A statement read: "We successfully defend two thirds of these claims and only settle where it’s likely to save money for the taxpayer – even then we always seek to make sure debts to victims and the courts are paid before the offender sees a penny.”
