Brixton Prison will be inspected later this year

Brixton Prison, from which two prisoners were on the run after escaping from a security van taking them to court on Tuesday, will now be reinspected later this year.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers said in future, inspection team leaders would not be able to "take up governorship of a prison within six months of an inspection they have led".

The inspection of the prison was carried out in September 2002 and a report was published by Ms Owers earlier this week.

But she said a full inspection report had not been published "because of the fact and timing of the appointment of the inspection team leader as governor of Brixton".

Improvements noted

Inspection team leader John Podmore was informally approached before the investigation and his appointment as governor of Brixton Prison was confirmed in December 2002.

The record of his inspection said: "Although Brixton was essentially a safe place for the majority of prisoners ... efforts should concentrate on implementing an effective anti-bullying strategy."

It added: "Staff were not adequately trained in suicide prevention."

But "significant improvements" were noted in both healthcare and race relations at the prison.