Dartmoor Prison: Hidden Danger, Exposed Lies

HMP Dartmoor experienced a significant crisis due to high levels of radon gas, a toxic radioactive substance linked to lung cancer. This led to the evacuation of hundreds of inmates and staff, reducing the prison population from around 650 to just over 100 by August 2024. An inmate named Adam received a letter stating his exposure was five times the annual safe limit. Consequently, approximately 750 former inmates and staff have initiated a class-action lawsuit against the Ministry of Justice, each seeking at least £60,000 in compensation.

The ageing Victorian prison, built on granite bedrock, has a history of high radon readings dating back to at least 2007. Despite measurements in 2020 showing unacceptably high levels, the government signed a £100 million lease in 2022 and continues to pay around £4 million annually for the unusable facility. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a criminal investigation into the prison leaders' response, with concerns about delayed evacuations. Lawyers leading the legal action state that authorities knowingly put hundreds at risk amidst a scramble for prison space during a national overcrowding crisis.