INSPECTORS have criticised East Sutton Park prison, near Maidstone, for "restrictive and unnecessary rules" and said there is a "disrespectful culture" among prisoners.

The HM Inspectorate of Prisons carried out an unannounced three-day review of the women's open prison in July.

Anne Owers, the chief inspector of prisons, found that it had full employment, a safe and drug-free environment and good education resources. But she criticised the prison's resettlement programme and said that poorer prisoners were often disadvantaged.

The report detailed "petty local rules" including the use of plastic cutlery, the lack of prison-issue toiletries, fixed bedtimes and a "restrictive interpretation" of visiting rules.

It said prisoners from poor families could not afford to take "town visits" - which could be earned in a privilege scheme - because they could not afford the travel involved.

Poorer prisoners were also being forced to spend their low wages on toiletries and batteries for reading lights in their rooms.

The report added that only 24 out of 94 prisoners were employed in the community, with the others all employed on the prison site in horticulture, farming, catering or domestic duties.

It said more prisoners should be given the chance to work away from the prison.

Mrs Owers said: "There were a number of restrictive and unnecessary rules and procedures which appeared to be designed to create control, rather than encourage responsibility.

"We concluded that there was evidence of a disrespectful culture which had crept into the establishment."

George Carruthers, deputy governor at the prison, said many of the rules criticised as "petty" had been changed since the inspection.

He said the prison is now supplying toiletries and the kitchen will be upgraded so that disposable cutlery no longer has to be used.

He added: "The report says there is a disrespectful culture, but I would say the culture here is friendly and relaxed and there is respect for everybody.

"A lot of the rules they are referring to are prison service orders. For instance, it is a prison service rule that visits must be funded by the prisoner or their family. That is not an East Sutton Park rule."

He added: "We aim to keep a minimum of 25 women working in the community - but we are a working prison so many of our women are needed to work here.

"We are opening a new education block with a library early next year which will offer NVQs in catering and hairdressing."