Prisoners ‘run amok with knives after taking over jail’
INMATES armed with knives were running riot at a major jail last night.
They claimed to have ‘ taken control’ of Bedford jail, which houses almost 500 prisoners. There were also suggestions guards ‘abandoned’ the category-B prison after up to 200 inmates armed themselves with knives and makeshift weapons and started fires.
It was said prisoners were able to steal mobile phones, tools and medical supplies from offices in the confusion. Last night police and specialist security teams were swarming outside in a bid to regain control.
One inmate said the violence was sparked by anger over prisoners being confined to their cells for extended periods due to staff shortages. He said: ‘It started off as a little joke. But now every wing is open. Prisoners are walking around with knives and coshes.
‘They’ve nicked mobile phones out of the office, everything’s been smashed. The police are outside and all the guards have left the prison.’ A relative of another inmate said he
‘Guards have totally lost control’
feared for the prisoner’s safety after he made a panicked phone call during the violence.
‘It started mid-afternoon. He told me prisoners have got hold of batons from the guards,’ the relative said.
‘They have evacuated all the wings. Some prisoners are outside their cells and have started fires on several levels of the prison. Parts are totally trashed. The prison guards have totally lost control. I know this is something that has been brewing for some time and no-one has done anything about it.’
Footage alleged to have been taken inside the prison shows inmates celebrating victoriously on the wing after taking over parts of the jail.
The film, from a smuggled mobile phone, shows inmates jumping up and down on the prison landing and raising their hands in triumph after guards were forced to withdraw.
Another clip reveals the ground floor of a wing covered in broken furniture and debris as inmates cheer from the floor above. Steve Gillan, of the Prison Officers Association, said some guards at the prison had retreated to a ‘safe place’ and teams of riot-trained officers had been deployed.
‘We do know there’s concerted ill-discipline if not a riot situation going on in Bedford,’ he said. ‘There could be anything up to 200 prisoners involved. We don’t know how many are out of the cells, some are still locked up.’ Just weeks ago Bedford Prison was slammed as an ‘abject failure’ amid spiralling violence, self-harm and drug abuse.
Chief Inspector of Prisons Peter Clarke said standards have declined to ‘unacceptable levels’, with illegal drugs easier to obtain than clothes or sheets.
The ex-chief counter terrorism officer found prisoners living in cramped conditions. There has also been a huge rise in levels of self-harm. A Prison Service spokesman said: ‘Specially trained prison staff are working with the emergency services to resolve an ongoing incident involving a number of prisoners at HMP Bedford.
‘We are absolutely clear that prisoners who behave in this way will be punished and could spend significantly longer behind bars.’