THE Les Nicolles Prison could soon need another extension – less than 18 months after £6.5m. was spent on a new housing block. That is already full and prison governor Terry Wright predicts that it will not be long before the 1989 site reaches its new capacity of 122.

Of the 100 currently in the prison, 35 are serving sentences of more than one year; 75% of those are for drug offences.

Nearly a dozen prisoners are close to their release date.

Mr Wright said the island had to take the consequences of its harsh sentencing policy for importing and possessing drugs.

When the House approved the extension in March last year, Mr Wright did not expect the extra accommodation to be filled so quickly.

‘We did forecast that there would be a general slow fill, but it has happened quicker than we thought,’ said Mr Wright. ‘The work started in April and, less than 18 months later, we’re nearly full.’

Several members had reservations about spending the £6.5m. on the prison, including now retired deputy John Roper.

He believed the island’s tough stance on drugs was wrong and that more people have become addicted to them because of the crackdown.

The proposal was voted through 27-15.

Trying to manage the prison’s ‘diverse population’ is also proving to be a problem.

In addition to the drug offenders, there are also a mother and baby in the women’s wing and two or three sex offenders who need to be segregated from other inmates.

The authorities have clamped down on drug offences over recent years and want to send out the island’s zero-tolerance policy for importers. But Mr Wright said that the island had to pay for that.

‘It depends on the political will as to changing any sentencing policy that is around at the moment,’ said Mr Wright. ‘The island’s harsh stance on drugs comes at a cost.’

Also stretching resources was the need to provide on-remand prisoners with an escort when they appeard in court.

Mr Wright said that making available two officers for this duty was a drain on resources.

Home Department deputy minister Francis Quin said he would like to see remand prisoners dealt with more quickly but hoped the message on drug sentencing would get through.

He did not envisage going back to the House for more funds.

‘Mr Wright was posting a warning that it is not the be all and end all, but I don’t think we will be going back to the House in the immediate future. There are no plans to do that.’ he said.

Deputy Quin wondered why people were still trying to bring drugs into the island, particularly locals who should be aware of the consequences.

‘The Customs and police are particularly skilled so the message is when are they [importers] going to wise up?’ he said.

When the States approved the prison extension, it also ordered a review of alternative sentencing such as community service and electronic tagging following an amendment from Deputy John Gollop.

Chief probation officer Anna Guilbert confirmed that units such as the Probation Service, police and the prison were still working on proposals.

Deputy Quin confirmed that none would be put to the House this year, but doubted that every offender would be suitable. He cited the case of a local prisoner who had been electronically tagged in the UK, only to remove it before boarding a ferry to Guernsey.

‘They [UK authorities] tried all the nice things, but they don’t appear to be working,’ said Deputy Quin.

Although he liked to think that prison wasn’t the only answer, he believed that some people could not be ‘cured’ through alternative methods, particularly recidivists.

Mrs Guilbert said that a huge amount of work was being done on the review, but it was a very complicated area.

Proposals will be open for public consultation before being put to the States.