HM Prison Foston Hall
| Location | Foston, Derbyshire |
|---|---|
| Security class | Adult Female/Young Offenders |
| Population | 299 (as of August 2020[1]) |
| Opened | 1997 |
| Managed by | HM Prison Services |
| Governor | Helen Clayton-Hoar |
| Website | Foston Hall at justice.gov.uk |
HM Prison Foston Hall is a women's closed category prison and Young Offenders Institution, located in the village of Foston in Derbyshire, England. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.
History
The original Manor of Foston and Scropton was held by the Agard family from the 14th to the 17th century. It was bought by John Bate in 1679. Richard Bate was High Sheriff of Derbyshire in 1705.[2] Brownlow Bate sold the estate to John Broadhurst in 1784. The 17th century manor house was destroyed by fire in 1836, but many parts of that house survive.
A new Jacobethan house was designed by T. C. Hine of Nottingham and built in 1863.[3] Its main two storey front has eight bays and an off-centre three-storey tower. The house is now a Grade II listed building.
HM Prison Service acquired the hall and grounds in 1953. During its Prison Service history Foston Hall has been a detention centre, an immigration centre, and finally before its closure during 1996 a satellite of Sudbury Prison. It was re-opened on 31 July 1997, following major refurbishment and building work, as a closed-category female prison.
The prison today
Foston Hall Prison is spread over 5 wings; C, D, E, F, T and the First Night Centre. (A & B were recently demolished). During the COVID-19 pandemic, a wing of temporary accommodation (designated G Wing) was constructed to isolate prisoners whose roles were vital to the running of the prison (Kitchens, Laundry etc) in case of a severe outbreak. The prison can accommodate both remand and convicted. Foston Hall also has a Health Care Centre
The prison provides inmates with work in the prison gardens, the gym, the textile and craft workshop and the kitchens, all of which can lead to qualifications. In addition the prison's education department offers NVQs in Cleaning Services and hairdressing, as well as basic and key skills learning.
Notable inmates
Current
- Georgina Henshaw[4] – waitress who stabbed her restaurant's chef to death after boasting of her intentions to friends, sentenced to 16 years imprisonment in 2018[5]
- Lauren Jeska – transgender fell runner from Lancaster convicted of the attempted murder of Ralph Knibbs[6]
- Jessica Lynas[7] – contributed to the murder of Gemma Hayter in 2010, which was the subject of the BBC Three documentary Gemma: My Murder
- Louise Porton[8] – Woman who murdered her two children in 2018
- Lorraine Thorpe[9] – At 15 was Britain's youngest female double murderer. One of those she killed was her own father. Will be eligible for parole in 2023.[10]
- Zara Phythian – Dr Strange actress. She was jailed for sexually abusing 13-year-old girl.[1]
Former
- Maxine Carr[11] – Sentenced to three and a half years' prison for lying about her knowledge of the Soham murders.
- Karen Matthews – Kidnapper.
- Melanie Shaw[12] – Arsonist. Subject to several conspiracy theories linked to her whistle blowing of Beechwood Children's Home abuse.
See also
References
- English Heritage: architectural description of listed building
- Magna Britannia: volume 5 - Scropton Derbyshire (1817). From British History Online
- ^ "Prison population figures: 2020". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
- ^ The History and Gazetteer of the County of Derby Vol 1 (1831) Stephen Glover. Appendix p. 12 Queen Anne. Google Books
- ^ Pevsner, Nikolaus; Williamson, Elizabeth (1978) [1953]. Derbyshire. The Buildings of England. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. p. 315. ISBN 0-14-071008-6.
- ^ "Woman denies murder of chef Philip Rolph, whose body was found in car". Birmingham Mail. 15 September 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
- ^ "'Psycho' carvery waitress jailed for chef murder". BBC News. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
- ^ "Fell-runner Lauren Jeska admits attempted murder of athletics official".
- ^ Inside Time (January 2017). "Inside Time January 2017" (PDF). p. 51. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ^ "Evil mum Louise Porton who murdered her own kids will 'have three Christmas dinners in prison'". Birmingham Live. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
- ^ "Inside Knowledge" (PDF). Insidetime. No. 243. September 2019. p. 54. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "'Youngest' female double murderer jailed". BBC News. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "Maxine Carr moved to rural prison". BBC News. 26 March 2004.
- ^ "Who is Melanie Shaw, why is she locked up, and what do her supporters want? 3 January 2020".
