Inmates claim that substandard meals are fueling violence at the troubled Parc prison, a sentiment underscored by a scathing report based on interviews conducted for an official inspection.

Just this week, Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons, revealed a catalogue of pressing issues at the Bridgend facility, notably an "alarming" surge in drug trafficking contributing to "a spate of tragic deaths". Parc prison experienced 17 fatalities last year, topping the chart for most inmate deaths across UK prisons, with the reasons ranging from drug misuse and self-harm to natural causes and one unexplained case.

The inspection brought to light that G4S, the corporation managing Parc, has been lethargic in addressing inmates' grievances concerning the dismal standard and insufficient supply of food. In his report, Mr Taylor noted prisoners believed that being underfed was a key trigger for the facility's elevated aggression levels.

WalesOnline has reached out to G4S multiple times over the past year regarding complaints from prisoners' relatives about inadequate food provision at Parc, only to be met with denials each time. This stance remained unchanged when, last June, we were informed by the mother of a detainee that a bout of "rioting"—resulting in three inmates hospitalised—was partly incited by anger over depleted servings at mealtime.

She reported then: "It all happened because the prisoners in there have had enough of G4S and how they're being treated.", reports Wales Online. Relatives of other inmates have told WalesOnline that they were not shocked by the inspection findings, which revealed that only 23% of prisoners felt they had enough to eat.

One inmate's wife shared: "They would get a jacket potato and a spoonful of beans as their main hot meal, in the afternoon, and then at dinner they would get a bread roll with a spoonful of something like tuna mayo, but not enough to fill the roll. They didn't get veg.

"My husband was working in the servery at one point and every time he served a meal he'd apologise for the portions. On a Friday, when they had fish and chips, there wouldn't be enough to feed everyone so you'd have people going without. The officers would phone over to the kitchen and say, 'You haven't fed everyone.'".

"Once there was a visit from inspectors, and when my husband showed them the portion he was given they said, 'Wow, that cannot be a grown man's main meal.'".

"A two-year-old would eat more than that. I would phone up and complain but G4S wouldn't have it. They insisted it was all fine."

Mr Taylor characterised the food provided at mealtimes as "not always adequate". While prisoners could purchase food from the prison shop, the inspector discovered it "did not sell sufficient healthy items, including fresh fruit and vegetables".

One prisoner's family lamented to WalesOnline that he "almost lived on pot noodles" from the canteen. Another inmate often faced scant pickings at mealtime due to his cell's location on the top tier, leaving him last in line for food, his relatives reported.

Mr Taylor penned: "Many prisoners told us that both the quality and quantity of the food were unacceptable. They said that the menu did not provide sufficient healthy options and complained about a lack of fruit and vegetables. Leaders explained that the main kitchen was too small to cater for the population, and that a shortage of storage space limited fresh fruit and vegetable options.

"We observed a lack of supervision by officers at mealtimes, which led to inconsistencies in the portions of food being served. We also saw some prisoners on the serveries using gloved hands rather than utensils to handle food, including halal and vegan options, which caused cross-contamination and was inappropriate."

G4S has acknowledged the issue and is collaborating with its catering partner, Aramark, to reassess the food services following the report's findings. The prison recognises the inmates' grievances regarding meals and is set to enhance the prison shop's offerings with an array of fresh produce.

The report uncovered "a serious deterioration in standards" at the prison, highlighting severe issues with self-harm, violence, and drug problems. Cells had windows that inmates could easily open from the inside, allowing drugs to be smuggled in by drones—a vulnerability first exposed by WalesOnline.

Despite ongoing efforts by G4S to replace these windows, concerns remain.

Despite receiving a relatively positive inspection in 2022, including a 'reasonably good' safety rating, the latest report slams G4S for letting the prison become "destabilised" after securing a lucrative ten-year £400 million contract, criticising it as "the root" of many current issues.

WalesOnline reached out to the UK Government about its future plans regarding lengthy contracts for private prison operators. No direct answer was given, though a spokeswoman stated: "We are working closely with G4S on new measures at HMP Parc to stop criminals smuggling drugs and other illicit items into the prison."

One significant issue raised by inspectors involved the prison's dental service—which, as of the last check in 2022, had an 18-month wait time for routine dental care. Conditions have worsened, with only "urgent" cases being addressed.

The report condemned the lack of progress in expanding dental surgery space as "The lack of progress on increasing dental surgery space was inexcusable, given the timeframe and the poor outcomes for dental health."

Considering the amount of time passed and the negative impact on prisoners' dental health, WalesOnline has spoken to relatives of an inmate who reportedly endured a harrowing three-day wait for treatment of a severe dental abscess.

A representative for the Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board, which oversees healthcare at the prison, commented: "The health board welcomes the report's acknowledgement of the improvements made to the oversight of healthcare provision at HMP Parc. However, we recognise that more can be done, particularly in lowering the waiting times for access to dental care, where a current lack of space means we are limited in the number of patients we can treat. We are working at pace with the prison to increase this provision."

In response to the report's findings, Welsh Affairs committee chair Ruth Jones remarked: "Once again, Parc prison has generated alarming headlines. I have long been concerned about the situation for Parc's inmates, and this report only compounds my worries. In the past I have been encouraged by the progress made at Parc; its director, Will Styles, is taking important steps forward.

"But clearly leaders at the prison need to go much further and faster. G4S must ensure that officials have the resources they need to actually deliver on their promising plans. Next week I will hold an urgent meeting with the head of the prison service in Wales. I will ask him how he plans to respond to these issues, as well as how the prison service is monitoring the situation at Parc."