Prison drugs bill soars to €820 per inmate

THE prison bill for drugs such as anti-psychotics and sedatives jumped massively last year - with the average prisoner consuming €820 worth of pharmaceuticals in 2003.

The expenditure was highest in the women’s prison, the Dóchas Centre, where the average annual bill was over €2,000.

The Prison Service annual report for 2003 also expressed serious concern at the falling numbers of sex offenders undergoing treatment.