This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/manchester/7379659.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Prison officers in stab vest call | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Calls are being made for prison officers to be allowed to wear stab-proof vests after a warder was attacked at a Cheshire jail. | |
Tom Robson, an official from the Prison Officers' Association, demanded action after the incident at HMP Risley. | |
A series of what are believed to be racially-motivated fights broke out in the exercise yard at the jail near Warrington on Thursday night. | |
The guard was stabbed as he tried to break up a disturbance. | |
The Prison Service said three prisoners were taken to hospital after the disturbances. | |
Two of the prisoners remain in hospital being treated for non-life threatening injuries, while one has now returned to HMP Risley. | |
Staff behaved with total professionalism and ensured the incident did not become more serious Prison Service spokesperson | |
The prison officer who was hurt has also been released from hospital and is now off-duty. | |
Colin Moses, chairman of the Prison Officers' Association (POA), said: "It is clear that officers and other uniformed staff no longer feel they have full control of prisons and prisoners. | |
"The service undertakes an extremely dangerous job. Something needs to be done to put this right. | |
"Incidents like this re-emphasise the need for prison staff to be empowered." | |
Mr Robson said that because his members did not have access to the kind of items used by police - such as pepper spray and Tasers - they had to rely on their wits. | |
"Our best weapon within the prison is our mouths and our ability to be able to talk and interact with inmates," said Mr Robson. | |
"But that's getting more and more difficult as prison officers become more and more thin on the ground." | |
Cheshire Police are now investigating the cause of the disturbance. | |
A Prison Service spokesman said: "Staff behaved with total professionalism and ensured the incident did not become more serious." |