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Swaleside Prison: Inmates 'take over' jail wing Swaleside Prison: Inmates take over jail wing
(35 minutes later)
Prisoners have taken control of a wing at prison in Kent with up to 60 inmates involved, the Prison Officers Association (POA) has said. Prisoners have taken control of part of a wing at a prison in Kent with up to 60 inmates involved.
The association said there was an "ongoing disturbance" at the category B training prison HMP Swaleside. The Prison Officers Association (POA) said there was an "ongoing disturbance" at the category B training prison HMP Swaleside.
POA chairman Mike Rolfe said the extent of the disturbance was unclear but fires have been lit. The Prison Service said it was dealing with "an incident" contained to a landing on the jail's A Wing.
He said: "We are not sure how bad it is yet but we understand 60 prisoners have taken control of 'A' wing there." POA chairman Mike Rolfe said the extent of the disturbance was unclear but fires had been lit.
He added: "Some fires have been lit, apparently, and basically we know that it's an ongoing incident." He said: "Some fires have been lit, apparently, and basically we know that it's an ongoing incident."
A Prison Service spokesperson said: "The Prison Service is dealing with an incident involving 60 prisoners at HMP Swaleside.
"The incident is contained to one landing on A Wing. The rest of the prison is secure with all prisoners in locked in cells."
Live: Kent prison disturbance latest updatesLive: Kent prison disturbance latest updates
HMP Swaleside has a capacity of around 1,100 inmates serving prison terms of more than four years. The BBC's Home Affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said the disturbance had now been contained but prisoners were refusing to go back into their cells.
HMP Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey has a capacity of about 1,100 inmates serving prison terms of more than four years.
The category B prison gives inmates access to education and training.
An HM Inspectorate of Prisons report in July described the prison as "dangerous" and found levels of violence were "far too high", with many of the incidents classed as serious.An HM Inspectorate of Prisons report in July described the prison as "dangerous" and found levels of violence were "far too high", with many of the incidents classed as serious.
Last week hundreds of inmates rioted for more than 12 hours at Birmingham prison.Last week hundreds of inmates rioted for more than 12 hours at Birmingham prison.
Prisoners set fires, stole keys to residential areas from a guard and one inmate was seriously injured.Prisoners set fires, stole keys to residential areas from a guard and one inmate was seriously injured.
Latest unrest in England's prisons