Isle of Wight it hosting three prisons: Albany, Camp Hill and Parkhurst, all located outside Newport near the main road to Cowes. Albany and Parkhurst were among the few Category A prisons in the UK until they were downgraded in the 1990s. The downgrading of Parkhurst was precipitated by a major escape: three prisoners (two murderers and a blackmailer) escaped from the prison on 3 January 1995 for four days, before being recaptured. Parkhurst enjoyed notoriety as one of the toughest jails in the United Kingdom, and housed many notable inmates including the Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, New Zealand drug lord Terry Clark
Blackwater, Isle of Wight Blackwater, Isle of Wight Blackwater is a village on the Isle of Wight, England. It is located about two miles south of Newport, close to the geographic centre of the island. It is in the civil parish of Arreton The Newclose County Cricket Ground is just to the north of the village. Newport Junction Railway opened a railway station at Blackwater. Blackwater Station first appeared on railway timetables in June, 1876 and operated until June 6, 1956. The trackbed of the former railway line is now part of National Cycle Route 23. Public transport is provided by Southern Vectis bus