Travellers turn abandoned women's prison into rubbish dump

A group of travellers have occupied a former women's prison with their dogs attacking children according to claims.

Travellers that have moved on to Holloway Prison grounds and have started to dump lorry loads of commercial waste on to the site. Picture: SWNS

Up to 20 caravans invaded HMP Holloway, London, which closed last year, and have begun fly-tipping ‘lorryloads’ of waste on the abandoned site, neighbours claim.

The group arrived at the former women’s prison, which closed last year, around 10:30pm on Thursday night, and have been ‘intimidating local residents with dogs’.

Fuming locals, who have been pestered with ‘noise nuisance’, blasted the encampment on social media.

Travellers that have moved on to Holloway Prison grounds and have started to dump lorry loads of commercial waste on to the site. Picture: SWNS

Tom Dixon claimed the travellers’ dogs had attacked ‘both people and children’ on Twitter.

Robyn Tupper said: “I understand travellers need a place to stay, but when some of them do this it makes you not want to help.

“Don’t get me wrong, some of them are lovely, but this is not on.”

Stephen Cassano added: “Well this surprises absolutely no one - commercial and private rubbish collections is one of the main sidelines for travellers when they find or break in to an area.

Travellers that have moved on to Holloway Prison grounds and have started to dump lorry loads of commercial waste on to the site. Picture: SWNS

“I don’t blame them, if the law is powerless to stop it then why not? Wreck an area, earn your money and move on.

“Rinse and repeat while laughing all the way to the bank.”

An Islington Council spokeswoman said: “A number of people have set up an unauthorised encampment at the former Holloway Prison site in Parkhurst Road.

“People began to arrive at the site late on Wednesday, 20 September, 2017. The former Holloway Prison site belongs to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

“As landowner, the MoJ is responsible for taking action to remove the encampment, and Islington Council has asked the MoJ to begin this action urgently.

“The council has received reports of anti-social behaviour from the site relating to noise nuisance, and intimidation from dogs.

“Council officers have visited the site and will take what action they can to deal with nuisance from the occupation, in conjunction with the MoJ and Metropolitan Police.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “We attended HMP Holloway at 10:39pm on Thursday night to a significant number of travellers and have informed the local authority.”

The Ministry of Justice have been contacted for a comment.