Attacks on jail employees rise to new excessive as tensions in overcrowded jails attain breaking level | EUROtoday

Attacks on jail employees are at a brand new excessive, in keeping with recent authorities figures which present worsening circumstances throughout England and Wales’ overcrowded prisons.

There had been 10,605 assaults on employees final 12 months, up 15 per cent on the 12 months earlier than setting a brand new grim file. The statistics, printed by the Ministry of Justice on Thursday, come after police launched an investigation into an assault on three jail officers at HMP Frankland in County Durham.

Hashem Abedi, one of many males liable for the Manchester area bombing, threw scorching cooking oil over the officers and used “home made weapons” to stab them, in keeping with the Prison Officers’ Association (POA).

New knowledge reveals that circumstances in England’s jails are worsening throughout the board, with extra inmates self-harming and assaults on the rise.

In the 12 months to March 2025, there was a 37 per cent enhance within the variety of deaths in jail – from 291 to 399.

This has been pushed by rises in deaths from pure causes and deaths awaiting additional data. However the variety of homicides in jail every year has additionally elevated from one to seven.

Last week a 44-year-old jail inmate was arrested on suspicion of homicide after John Mansfield, 63, was discovered lifeless in HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire.

Mansfield, who was serving a life sentence for the homicide of his neighbour, died from a head harm and was found final Sunday afternoon, a Cambridgeshire Police spokesperson mentioned.

Separately assassin Gareth Dack , who was jailed for no less than 33 years after killing grandmother Norma Bell, was discovered lifeless at HMP Frankland on Monday. The jail and probation ombudsman have mentioned they may examine the demise.

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