Full Breakdown
Operational Turmoil at HMP Millsike
8/18/2026, 4:00:02 AM
Core Issues at the New Category C Prison
HMP Millsike, a privately-run Category C facility in East Yorkshire, opened in March 2025 with a capacity of 1,500 places. Within its first 18 months, former employees have described a “chaotic atmosphere,” citing chronic understaffing, inadequate training, and repeated calls to the Operational Response and Resilience Unit (ORRU) for serious incidents. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) reports that about 1,100 inmates are currently housed there.
Staffing Shortages and Safety Incidents
- An interim director, Paul Newton, told a public meeting in June that recruitment was difficult and that 90 % of employees had never worked in the prison sector.
- Former maintenance worker Steve Richardson said inmates threw “faeces and urine” at him and that he was asked to perform “bed-watching” without proper training.
- ORRU was deployed seven times in nine months during 2025, a rate comparable to other privately run Category C prisons (eight calls to Oakwood, three to Fosse Way and Northumberland).
- On 9 July, local residents reported a bomb-squad vehicle entering the site, followed by a loud bang; emergency services attended but found no viable device.
- The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) raised safety concerns in January, noting staff members visited wings in pairs because they felt unsafe, and observed doors and gates left open.
Official Statements & Responses
Mitie, the contractor, maintains that safety is its “highest priority” and that recruitment and training are aligned with the prison’s phased growth. The company asserts that all staff requiring DoJo (control and restraint) training have received it and that ORRU call-outs are “in line with expectations.”
Criticism from Former Staff and NGOs
The Prison Reform Trust’s chief executive Pia Sinha described some prisoner safety calls as “worrying and concerning,” while noting similar challenges at other new prisons and urging patience as standards develop.
