Canterbury Prison has been ranked as the ninth most overcrowded jail in the country.

That’s according to figures published by the Ministry of Justice on behalf of the Prison Reform Trust (PRT).

The 200-year-old jail, which holds foreign national inmates serving less than four years with an expectation of deportation, is currently at 160 per cent capacity.

Top of the list nationally was Shrewsbury Prison at 183 per cent.

PRT director Juliet Lyon put Canterbury Prison’s population into context: “It should be holding 195 inmates and as of July 25, it was holding 312.

“That gives you an indication of how overcrowded the prison is and the pressures on the prisoners and the prison staff.”

Prisons Minister David Hanson said the public shouldn’t be overly concerned by the report’s findings.

“The figures do not show any prison operating beyond the safe level agreed by prisons and area managers,” he said.

“We will always provide enough prison places for the most dangerous, violent and persistent offenders”.

Ms Lyon stressed Canterbury Prison should continue to foster a strong community spirit among its inmates.

“Any prisoner, whether foreign or British national, should be treated as an individual,” she said.

“Because of pressures in the system, people have tended to be lumped together into groups.”

She added: “There are only two prisons in the country that hold foreign nationals, and that’s because there are such high numbers in the system and they do have particular needs.

“One of the things the PRT is concerned about is that these needs have not been met.”

Staff at Canterbury Prison were unavailable for comment.