THE governor of Winchester Prison has said a “comprehensive plan” is in place in response to being named among the worst in the country.

The National Offender Management Service has given the prison a rating of one, down from two, meaning its performance is of ‘serious concern’. Only two other jails are ranked at one and both are privately operated, said NOMS in a report out yesterday. The highest ranking is four for exceptional performance.

It follows an inspectors’ report in March which said half Winchester’s inmates have felt unsafe and two disabled prisoners have been held in inadequate cells for 23 hours a day.

New governor David Rogers, who took over the prison earlier this year with ambitions of getting the top ranking, said the downgrade was expected as it directly relates to the March report.

He said: “All these things are linked and the prison rating system (PRS) is not only based on performance but also these reports. If you get a bad report you will get a bad performance.

“We already have a comprehensive plan in place and we are dealing with issues. We are five months into the new reporting year and we are doing what we can on the things we can influence.

“These results come out twice a year with the next ones due in October. If our current performance continues we will be upgraded.”

He added the prison has made progress on drug problems, reducing staff sickness and rehabilitating offenders, with 84 per cent being released into settled accommodation.

It was recently announced that Winchester would become a “resettlement prison” to try to do more to rehabilitate prisoners before their release.