McColm, 57, who recently joined G4S after more than 25 years in the Prison Service, is a former Governor at HMP Kirkham and HMP Garth in Lancashire, and HMP Risley in Cheshire.

He replaces outgoing director, John Mclaughlin, who has assumed the directorship of Britain’s largest prison, the G4S-run NMP Oakwood, in Wolverhampton, after nine years at the helm at HMP Altcourse.

HMP Altcourse is a Category B, 1324-place prison, in the Fazakerley area of Liverpool. It receives sentenced and remand young offender and adult male prisoners from the courts in Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales. In 1997, it became the first prison in the UK to be designed, constructed, managed and financed by the private sector, and has been operated by G4S Care & Justice Services (formerly GSL) since then.

Jerry Petherick, Managing Director of G4S Custodial and Detention Services said:

“I would like to welcome Bob McColm to his new role, and wish him every success. He inherits an establishment that has consistently been recognised by a wide range of commentators as a very high performing prison that has been at the forefront of many initiatives and developments. I have no doubt that under his leadership, HMP Altcourse will continue to excel.”

Bob McColm said:

"That Altcourse has been such a high performing prison for so many years is a testament to John’s excellent work, and I would like to pay tribute to his tireless efforts to make Altcourse such a success. However there is always more to do, and while I will be able to build on my predecessor’s good work, I will also be focused on helping HMP Altcourse adapt to the recent changes introduced across the prison estate by the Ministry of Justice, as well ensuring that we can best meet the rehabilitation needs of offenders to keep them from returning to prison.”