Young inmates left in squalor

The prison inspectors' report revealed that conditions were no different in the "unacceptable and insanitary" Rodney wing of the young offenders' institution since the inspectors' last damning assessment in 2007.

The 2007 assessment described medieval conditions in the Rodney and Hardy wings.

The latter had to close down, creating a backlog of prisoners who had to be reshuffled to the equally disgraced Rodney wing.

Today's report will call for the ward to be demolished.

Inspectors found "waste toilet tissue and accumulated debris behind the grilles on window ledges and staff serving prisoners pre-packed evening meals from baskets placed directly on the floor."

In one prisoner's cell, "the central pane of glass in the window was missing completely and a smaller pane was partially missing with shards of broken glass. Both had been inadequately plugged with cardboard."

The Criminal Justice Alliance warned that the dire conditions were jeopardising the health, well-being and rehabilitation of the 72 prisoners in the unit - all aged between 18-21.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Dame Anne Owers said: "Sadly, both staff and managers were still let down by the unacceptable and insanitary accommodation in one unit."

Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon said: "Anyone who works in prisons knows that you need decent and safe places if you want to give prison officers a chance to help rehabilitate offenders, especially young offenders."

But National Offender Management Service director-general Phil Wheatley said that young people will remain locked up there until "new places come on stream elsewhere."