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Swaleside Prison: Inmates take over part of jail Swaleside Prison: Inmates take over part of jail
(35 minutes later)
Prisoners have taken control of part of a wing at a prison in Kent with between 60 and 80 inmates involved. Sixty prisoners have taken control of part of a wing at a prison in Kent.
The Prison Officers Association (POA) said there was an "ongoing disturbance" at the category B training prison, HMP Swaleside, on the Isle of Sheppey.The Prison Officers Association (POA) said there was an "ongoing disturbance" at the category B training prison, HMP Swaleside, on the Isle of Sheppey.
The Prison Service said it was dealing with "an incident" contained to a landing on the jail's A Wing. Specialist "Tornado" teams have been deployed to tackle the unrest, the Prison Service said.
POA chairman Mike Rolfe said the extent of the disturbance was unclear but fires had been lit. POA chairman Mike Rolfe said the extent of the disturbance was unclear, but it did not appear to be on the scale of a riot at HMP Birmingham last week.
Riot police were used to quell last Friday's disturbance, which lasted for 12 hours and involved hundreds of inmates.
'Tensions high'
A Prison Service spokesperson said: "The Prison Service is dealing with an incident involving 60 prisoners at HMP Swaleside.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.""The incident is contained to one landing on A Wing. The rest of the prison is secure with all prisoners in locked in cells."
Mr Rolfe described Swaleside as "a particularly difficult place to work" due to an "acute staff shortfall" and high levels of violence.
A man claiming to be an inmate there told the BBC the disturbance started when staff raided cells and confiscated prisoners' possessions.
The unverified source said tension between inmates and prison officers had increased after an intake of young, inexperienced staff, and the cutting of family visits.
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.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.
He said at least 60 and possibly as many as 80 inmates were involved.He said at least 60 and possibly as many as 80 inmates were involved.
Specially trained guards known as "Tornado" squads have been deployed to Swaleside, the Prison Service said. "Tornado" squads were also used to last week's riot in Birmingham, after prisoners set fires, stole keys to residential areas from a guard and one inmate was seriously injured.
The squads were also used to quell a riot last week when 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.
Up to 240 prisoners were moved following the riot, but the Ministry of Justice has not commented on whether any were shipped to Swaleside.Up to 240 prisoners were moved following the riot, but the Ministry of Justice has not commented on whether any were shipped to Swaleside.
The prison has a capacity of about 1,100 inmates serving terms of more than four years. Guardian prison correspondent Eric Allison said he had been told of problems at the prison during a recent research visit.
The category B facility gives inmates access to education and training. "The governor told me that it was a troubled jail," he said.
"He said that there were high levels of violence and access to and use of [formerly] legal highs".
However, Mr Allison said Swaleside, which houses about 1,100 inmates serving terms of more than four years, had some "innovative" education schemes.
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.
Latest unrest in England's prisonsLatest unrest in England's prisons