Former staff describe chaotic conditions and safety lapses at new East Yorkshire prison
Ex-employees of HMP Millsike say the privately run facility has suffered chronic understaffing, inadequate training and frequent specialist unit interventions during its first 18 months.
HMP Millsike, a £400 million category-C prison in East Yorkshire that opened in March 2025, was touted as a benchmark for new prisons but former employees describe a chaotic atmosphere dominated by chronic understaffing and limited training. Seven ex-workers, most wishing to stay anonymous, recounted incidents such as a November 2025 disturbance that required an elite prison squad and a July bomb-squad call-out, with the Operational Response and Resilience Unit responding seven times in nine months.
Staff say they were forced to undertake tasks like "bed-watching" vulnerable prisoners without proper control-and-restraint training, and maintenance worker Steve Richardson reported being assaulted with bodily waste. Interim director Paul Newton acknowledged recruitment difficulties, noting that 90 % of employees had no prior prison experience. The Independent Monitoring Board raised safety concerns earlier this year, and the prison’s director Samantha Pariser was replaced in February. While the operator Mitie insists safety remains a top priority, critics argue the facility was opened prematurely and lacks transparency.
Why it matters
The story highlights challenges in privatized prison management and public safety at a flagship correctional facility.
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