Prison officer injured at Long Lartin disturbance

It was only through the professionalism of prison officers that this incident was resolved by surrender of prisoners. One prison officer received head injuries and there were no injuries to prisoners.

This is the latest of a number of incidents which show that the prison service is in crisis. On a daily basis prison officers must deal with concerted acts of indiscipline, violence, hostage taking, self-harm and deaths in custody.

Prison Officers must deal with incidents such as these without the proper PPE. Additionally, they must work, knowing that if they use Health and Safety Legislation to protect themselves, they will be driven into court for Contempt.

The government and heads of HMPPS remain under pressure. This Union will continue to exert more pressure until they restore order and control in our prisons and protect our members’ health and safety.

National chair Mark Fairhurst stated, “These latest acts of concerted indiscipline vindicates the actions of POA members who protect their health and safety at work. In the most hostile and violent workplace in Western Europe I find it abhorrent HMPPS wish to take this Union to Court for Contempt for protecting our members’ Health and Safety. If the employer listened to the POA instead of attempting to injunct us our prisons could become places of rehabilitation instead of the war zones they currently are. The roll out of PAVA must now become a priority and must not be subject to criteria or delay”. 

General secretary Steve Gillan commented, “HMPPS now need to take stock of these recurring incidents and sit down with the POA and draw up an action plan that actually mea