VIOLENCE is plaguing a Staffordshire prison for young men despite improvements in other conditions there, an inspection has found.

HM Inspectorate of Prisons said that HMP Swinfen Hall, which incarcerates more than 500 men under the age of 28, has “high levels of violence — much of it gang-related and involving group attacks on individuals.”

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor said that since previous inspections “significantly more prisoners told us they felt safe” following changes made by prison management.