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| Bedford prison riot: recent inspection found 'unacceptable' conditions | Bedford prison riot: recent inspection found 'unacceptable' conditions |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Conditions at Bedford prison, where 200 inmates went on a six-hour rampage on Sunday, has declined to “unacceptable levels” with illegal drugs more readily available than clothes or sheets, prison inspectors said in September. | Conditions at Bedford prison, where 200 inmates went on a six-hour rampage on Sunday, has declined to “unacceptable levels” with illegal drugs more readily available than clothes or sheets, prison inspectors said in September. |
| A prison service inquiry was getting under way on Monday into the disturbance which was “successfully resolved” late on Sunday night after riot control officers and emergency services spent more than six hours bringing the disturbance to an end. | A prison service inquiry was getting under way on Monday into the disturbance which was “successfully resolved” late on Sunday night after riot control officers and emergency services spent more than six hours bringing the disturbance to an end. |
| Inmates flooded the jail’s gangways after the unrest broke out after 5pm on Sunday after staff were forced to retreat to “safe areas” within the jail. Unverified mobile phone footage showed chaotic scenes with scores of prisoners out of their cells shouting in gangways and walkways. | Inmates flooded the jail’s gangways after the unrest broke out after 5pm on Sunday after staff were forced to retreat to “safe areas” within the jail. Unverified mobile phone footage showed chaotic scenes with scores of prisoners out of their cells shouting in gangways and walkways. |
| Specialist riot officers were deployed at the category B prison in Bedford town centre after the riot broke out on Sunday afternoon, with police cordoning off an area outside and emergency services on standby. | Specialist riot officers were deployed at the category B prison in Bedford town centre after the riot broke out on Sunday afternoon, with police cordoning off an area outside and emergency services on standby. |
| A prison service spokesman said: “Specially trained prison officers and staff from the emergency services have successfully resolved an incident involving a number of prisoners at HMP Bedford. | A prison service spokesman said: “Specially trained prison officers and staff from the emergency services have successfully resolved an incident involving a number of prisoners at HMP Bedford. |
| “An investigation into this incident will take place. We are absolutely clear that prisoners who behave in this way will be punished and could spend significantly longer behind bars.” | “An investigation into this incident will take place. We are absolutely clear that prisoners who behave in this way will be punished and could spend significantly longer behind bars.” |
| Bedfordshire Police said three men, aged 39, 37 and 26, have been arrested on suspicion of offences under the Prison Security Act 1992. | |
| Two inmates were taken to hospital - one who became ill and another who suffered minor injuries during the riot. Both returned to prison after treatment. | |
| Richard Fuller, the MP for Bedford and Kempston, is expected to press the justice secretary, Elizabeth Truss, on Monday for further details. The disturbance at Bedford comes just days after Truss detailed her prison safety and reform plans, including a recruitment drive for 2,500 more prison officers. | Richard Fuller, the MP for Bedford and Kempston, is expected to press the justice secretary, Elizabeth Truss, on Monday for further details. The disturbance at Bedford comes just days after Truss detailed her prison safety and reform plans, including a recruitment drive for 2,500 more prison officers. |
| Steve Gillan, the general secretary of the Prison Officers Association, stopped short of describing the incident as a riot classing it instead as “concerted indiscipline” and said up to 200 prisoners could have been involved. He added: “The POA has been warning about this situation of violence in our prisons – it would appear it’s coming to fruition. I just hope there’s no prisoners or indeed prison officers injured in the violence.” | Steve Gillan, the general secretary of the Prison Officers Association, stopped short of describing the incident as a riot classing it instead as “concerted indiscipline” and said up to 200 prisoners could have been involved. He added: “The POA has been warning about this situation of violence in our prisons – it would appear it’s coming to fruition. I just hope there’s no prisoners or indeed prison officers injured in the violence.” |
| HMP Bedford, which has been on its current site since 1801, holds about 500 inmates, according to an HM Inspectorate of Prisons report in September. | HMP Bedford, which has been on its current site since 1801, holds about 500 inmates, according to an HM Inspectorate of Prisons report in September. |
| Gillan said the mobile phone footage, which also showed paper and furniture strewn on the floor, appeared to be authentic, saying: “With everything else that has been going on at Bedford, it is hard to believe that this is not from Bedford. It ties in with the issues that were going on at Bedford. | Gillan said the mobile phone footage, which also showed paper and furniture strewn on the floor, appeared to be authentic, saying: “With everything else that has been going on at Bedford, it is hard to believe that this is not from Bedford. It ties in with the issues that were going on at Bedford. |
| “I think there were mobile phones at Bedford, which are not allowed but, by the same token, our prisons are awash with mobile phones and drugs, which are not allowed.” | “I think there were mobile phones at Bedford, which are not allowed but, by the same token, our prisons are awash with mobile phones and drugs, which are not allowed.” |
| Initial reports suggested that staff at Bedford had refused to unlock prisoners on safety grounds but had been overruled by managers. | Initial reports suggested that staff at Bedford had refused to unlock prisoners on safety grounds but had been overruled by managers. |
| Peter Clarke, the chief inspector of prisons, in his report on Bedford prison in September said that many prisoners were living in crowded and cramped conditions. The inspectors found that there had been a dramatic increase in levels of self-harm and the proportion of inmates saying they had developed a drug problem while inside had risen from 4% at the previous inspection in 2014 to 14% this year. | Peter Clarke, the chief inspector of prisons, in his report on Bedford prison in September said that many prisoners were living in crowded and cramped conditions. The inspectors found that there had been a dramatic increase in levels of self-harm and the proportion of inmates saying they had developed a drug problem while inside had risen from 4% at the previous inspection in 2014 to 14% this year. |
| Clarke also criticised the prison management’s “abject failure” to implement 60 out of the 72 recommendations made after the last inspection in 2014. | Clarke also criticised the prison management’s “abject failure” to implement 60 out of the 72 recommendations made after the last inspection in 2014. |