The murder of British Asian prisoner Sundeep Ghuman by a racist gang member at HMP Belmarsh has prompted serious concerns about prison safety. The coroner investigating his death has contacted the Government, urging reforms to prevent future fatalities.
Sundeep Ghuman died in February 2020 after being attacked with a table leg by Stevie Hilden, a member of the so-called Racist Army of Woolwich. Hilden, who had been placed in the same triple cell as Ghuman, was sentenced to life in prison for the killing in 2022.
Coroner David Manknell KC criticized Belmarsh’s handling of Hilden’s cell sharing risk assessment (CSRA). He found that many staff, including senior management, were unaware that the prison had a policy marking racist prisoners as “high risk,” requiring them to be housed only with prisoners of the same ethnicity.
The inquest concluded that had the CSRA been correctly carried out when Hilden transferred from HMP High Down in 2019, his history of violent and racist behavior would have been flagged, and Ghuman’s death could have been prevented.
Manknell highlighted systemic failings:
An unstructured CSRA process with insufficient staff training.
Prison officers disregarding active racist alerts if no immediate concern appeared.
Widespread violence among inmates and pervasive drug use, particularly synthetic cannabinoids (spice).
He warned that these issues “create a risk of future fatal events” and questioned whether Belmarsh is currently capable of providing a safe and secure environment for prisoners.
In response, the Ministry of Justice said it is “leaving no stone unturned” to improve prison safety. Measures include:
A £40m national investment in security, including enhanced CCTV and control room upgrades.
Increased full searches to intercept contraband.
X-ray body scanners, detection dogs, and restricted fly zones to reduce drugs entering prisons.
A Prison Service spokesperson added:
“This was a horrible act of violence, and our thoughts remain with Mr Ghuman’s family. HMP Belmarsh continues to address issues based on reporting and intelligence to ensure incidents like this never happen again.”
The case has renewed focus on the risks posed by racist violence and drugs in UK prisons, highlighting the need for strict enforcement of cell-sharing policies and broader measures to protect inmates.
