A database released by the Ministry of Justice has revealed a wave of violent incidents at HMP Belmarsh in London (Picture: REX/Getty)
An MP on a parliamentary group representing justice system workers has described a catalogue of violence at HMP Belmarsh as ‘appalling’ in its ‘ferocity and frequency’.
Grahame Morris spoke after incident reports showed more than 200 incidents over 11 months at the maximum security jail, some of which were potentially life-threatening.
In one, an inmate is said to have cut three officers with a makeshift weapon while shouting ‘kill all non-believers’ as he was unlocked for lunch at the prison in south east London.
One of the key workers attended hospital after suffering cuts to her head and neck following the attack, which is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police.
Violence among inmates included one who was found choking his victim unconscious with a ligature made out of bedsheets.
He was also using his leg to place the victim in a choke hold, making him unable to break free during the assault on a landing.
Mr Morris said: ‘These appalling attacks on prison officers at HMP Belmarsh revealed by the Metro are really shocking in their ferocity and frequency – but sadly are not surprising.
Grahame Morris said the outbreaks of violence at Belmarsh were shocking but unsurprising in light of his research (Picture: Jess Hurd)
‘Assaults on officers across the prison estate have soared since the government cut staffing levels by a quarter a decade ago in the name of austerity, leading to a loss of almost 100,000 years of cumulative experience, according to figures I unearthed in parliamentary questions to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).
‘It’s unacceptable that anyone should go to work fearing they could be bitten, punched, slashed with improvised weapons or have urine and worse thrown over them simply for doing their job.
‘Without safe and secure prisons, there is no prospect of rehabilitation, meaning that prisoners often fall back into recidivism and reoffending when they are released.’
Mr Morris echoed concerns raised by the Prison Officers’ Association who also reacted with alarm to the disclosures of violence unearthed after a Freedom of Information request to the MoJ by Metro.co.uk.
A general view of inmates on House Wing Four at HMP Belmarsh in Woolwich, London (Picture: Susannah Ireland/REX/Shutterstock)
The Labour MP for Easington is a member of the Justice Unions Parliamentary Group, which represents prison officers and other frontline justice workers at Westminster.
‘The government must urgently get a grip on the prisons crisis and do whatever it takes to retain experienced officers,’ he said.
‘That also means improving pay, terms and conditions, but instead the government have exploited the ban on industrial action by prison officers in England and Wales, making matters worse – for example by raising the retirement age to 68, a cruel and unrealistic decision that has had a devastating impact on prison officer morale.
‘At the very least, all prison operators – public and private – should be given clear targets for reducing violence and be held accountable if these targets are missed.
‘The Conservatives like to portray themselves as the party of law and order, but by normalising prison violence they have shown themselves to be the party of increasing crime and chaos in our penal system instead.’
A catalogue of violent incidents at Belmarsh has been released by the Ministry of Justice (Picture: In Pictures Ltd/Corbis via Getty Images)
Mr Morris attacked the government’s record after the dataset showed 226 violent incidents at the jail in Thamesmead between November 2021 and October last year.
They included prisoners being slashed with improvised weapons, gang fights and victims being unwilling to speak out.
In another case, an inmate tried to ‘strangle and assault’ a female officer as she broke up a protest in a yard.
Other key workers were punched, bitten and stabbed and some had liquid and toilet matter thrown at them.
The MoJ maintains that violent prisoners can face being moved to higher security conditions and further criminal prosecutions, and it has recently increased the penalty for assaulting prison officers to up to two years.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: ‘To protect our brave prison officers, we are equipping them with synthetic pepper spray, police-style restraints and body-worn cameras, helping to de-escalate violent situations and providing evidence to prosecute those who attack our hardworking staff.
‘Our £125 million investment in prison security is also tackling the drugs and weapons that fuel prison violence to keep staff safe.’
MORE : Officers slashed, bitten and strangled in attacks at maximum security jail
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The Belmarsh files have revealed more than 200 outbreaks of violence over an 11-month period.