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Four prison officers 'glassed' at Birmingham Prison | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Four prison officers have been injured in what is thought to be an attack by an inmate at Birmingham Prison using glass from a broken TV set. | |
G4S, which took over the running of the prison last year, said the guards were hurt in an attack on Wednesday. | |
The staff, all members of the prison's healthcare unit, were wounded in an altercation with a prisoner on remand, the firm said. | The staff, all members of the prison's healthcare unit, were wounded in an altercation with a prisoner on remand, the firm said. |
The officers were treated in hospital and an investigation is under way. | The officers were treated in hospital and an investigation is under way. |
Two members of staff suffered serious cuts and all four were taken to local hospitals. | |
A spokesman for the Prison Officers Association said the attack happened as guards were dealing with a prisoner who was on "special conditions" and required three officers to look after him. | |
He said that as staff opened the cell door, the prisoner surged forward, grabbed glass from a broken TV set outside the cell and attacked the officers with it. | |
The spokesman said one officer had sustained a deep cut to his arm and would need surgery. | |
He described it as an isolated case and said there was not a systemic problem at the prison. | |
Victorian prison | |
In a statement, G4S said: "The safety and welfare of our staff and those in our care is our utmost priority, and we have launched an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding this attack. | In a statement, G4S said: "The safety and welfare of our staff and those in our care is our utmost priority, and we have launched an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding this attack. |
"Our thoughts are with our staff at this time." | "Our thoughts are with our staff at this time." |
The Victorian prison, which can cater for up to 1,450 adult male prisoners, became the first prison to be taken over by a private company in October 2011 when G4S secured a 15-year contract. | The Victorian prison, which can cater for up to 1,450 adult male prisoners, became the first prison to be taken over by a private company in October 2011 when G4S secured a 15-year contract. |
In June a report by the chief inspector of prisons found the privatised jail faced "significant strategic challenges". | |
Nick Hardwick said HMP Birmingham was "a cleaner, safer and more decent place" since it was privatised last October, but warned the prison needed to improve its training and drugs programmes. | |
Another report, by the Independent Monitoring Board for HMP Birmingham in January, praised prison staff for continuing to cope with problems including gang culture. | |
The attack came to light as it was announced G4S had lost its contract to run Wolds prison in East Yorkshire and failed to win a number of other private jail contracts. | |
Wolds will return to the public sector when G4S's contract runs out in July. | Wolds will return to the public sector when G4S's contract runs out in July. |