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| Riot officers quell disorder at Long Lartin high-security prison | Riot officers quell disorder at Long Lartin high-security prison |
| (4 months later) | |
| Elite squads sent in over disturbance believed to involve about 80 inmates, some armed with pool balls | |
| Harrison Jones and | |
| Kevin Rawlinson | |
| Thu 12 Oct 2017 08.21 BST | |
| First published on Wed 11 Oct 2017 21.00 BST | |
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| Teams of elite prison riot officers have dealt with a disturbance at the high-security Long Lartin prison involving a large number of prisoners who became violent, the Prison Service has said. | Teams of elite prison riot officers have dealt with a disturbance at the high-security Long Lartin prison involving a large number of prisoners who became violent, the Prison Service has said. |
| The trouble started on Wednesday night and had been quelled by 2am on Thursday, after 10 Tornado teams, which are made up of prison officers specially equipped and trained to deal with riots, were sent in. They are believed to have confronted about 80 inmates, some of whom were armed with pool balls. | The trouble started on Wednesday night and had been quelled by 2am on Thursday, after 10 Tornado teams, which are made up of prison officers specially equipped and trained to deal with riots, were sent in. They are believed to have confronted about 80 inmates, some of whom were armed with pool balls. |
| The incident took place on one wing of the 622-capacity category A jail, a Prison Service spokeswoman said. “Specially trained prison staff successfully resolved an incident at HMP Long Lartin on 12 October. There were no injuries to staff or prisoners,” she said. | The incident took place on one wing of the 622-capacity category A jail, a Prison Service spokeswoman said. “Specially trained prison staff successfully resolved an incident at HMP Long Lartin on 12 October. There were no injuries to staff or prisoners,” she said. |
| “We do not tolerate violence in our prisons, and are clear that those responsible will be referred to the police and could spend longer behind bars.” The spokeswoman declined to comment further, citing an ongoing investigation. | “We do not tolerate violence in our prisons, and are clear that those responsible will be referred to the police and could spend longer behind bars.” The spokeswoman declined to comment further, citing an ongoing investigation. |
| Last month two prisoners at Long Lartin were convicted of murdering a fellow prisoner – the fourth homicide at the Worcestershire prison in the past four years. | Last month two prisoners at Long Lartin were convicted of murdering a fellow prisoner – the fourth homicide at the Worcestershire prison in the past four years. |
| The disturbance should be “ringing alarm bells at the most senior level”, the Prison Governors Association (PGA) said on Thursday. John Attard, a national officer for the group, said the trouble at Long Lartin was symptomatic of cutbacks and changes in the Prison Service management structure. | The disturbance should be “ringing alarm bells at the most senior level”, the Prison Governors Association (PGA) said on Thursday. John Attard, a national officer for the group, said the trouble at Long Lartin was symptomatic of cutbacks and changes in the Prison Service management structure. |
| “The fact that this is a high-security prison must be ringing alarm bells at the most senior level. It causes us some concern. Last year, the PGA called for an independent public inquiry into the state of our prisons due to cuts ... It fell on deaf ears. That call has not gone away. | “The fact that this is a high-security prison must be ringing alarm bells at the most senior level. It causes us some concern. Last year, the PGA called for an independent public inquiry into the state of our prisons due to cuts ... It fell on deaf ears. That call has not gone away. |
| “When we get disturbances of this nature in high-security prisons, the worry is if there is a potential for this to happen again. | “When we get disturbances of this nature in high-security prisons, the worry is if there is a potential for this to happen again. |
| “I think we’ve dodged a bullet on this. They brought this under control very quickly and it’s fantastic that they’ve dealt with it. But I think there needs to be a review. The changes to the management structure and staffing structure are a key part of this.” | “I think we’ve dodged a bullet on this. They brought this under control very quickly and it’s fantastic that they’ve dealt with it. But I think there needs to be a review. The changes to the management structure and staffing structure are a key part of this.” |
| The Prison Service denied the trouble was linked to low staffing levels, saying Long Lartin has “sufficient numbers of prison offers and has consistently operated a full regime”. | The Prison Service denied the trouble was linked to low staffing levels, saying Long Lartin has “sufficient numbers of prison offers and has consistently operated a full regime”. |
| A generally positive inspection in 2014 found that security was reasonably good and the inspectors said they found a “calm, well controlled prison”. They wrote: “While violence and bullying were few, there continued to be some very serious incidents. There had been two self-inflicted deaths since our last inspection. | A generally positive inspection in 2014 found that security was reasonably good and the inspectors said they found a “calm, well controlled prison”. They wrote: “While violence and bullying were few, there continued to be some very serious incidents. There had been two self-inflicted deaths since our last inspection. |
| “Security and disciplinary procedures were broadly proportionate ... Use of force was commendably low. The segregation unit environment and regime were reasonable and we found some evidence of good and much-improved staff-prisoner interaction. Substance misuse services were good.” | “Security and disciplinary procedures were broadly proportionate ... Use of force was commendably low. The segregation unit environment and regime were reasonable and we found some evidence of good and much-improved staff-prisoner interaction. Substance misuse services were good.” |
| The report of the unannounced inspection added: “Opportunities for violence remained evident but staff supervision of prisoners on wings was good and this was supported by extensive CCTV coverage. The number of actual incidents was comparatively low but some of them were very serious. Although most prisoners said that they did not feel unsafe at the establishment, in our survey nearly half the respondents on A, B, and C vulnerable prisoner wings said that they had been victimised by staff and prisoners.” | The report of the unannounced inspection added: “Opportunities for violence remained evident but staff supervision of prisoners on wings was good and this was supported by extensive CCTV coverage. The number of actual incidents was comparatively low but some of them were very serious. Although most prisoners said that they did not feel unsafe at the establishment, in our survey nearly half the respondents on A, B, and C vulnerable prisoner wings said that they had been victimised by staff and prisoners.” |
| It noted fewer cases where force was used than in similar prisons – and fewer than at the previous inspection in 2011. “This was commendable given the challenging population.” | It noted fewer cases where force was used than in similar prisons – and fewer than at the previous inspection in 2011. “This was commendable given the challenging population.” |
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