Prison officers rushed to hospital after attack by inmates
OFFICER SLASHED ACROSS EAR AND ANOTHER PUNCHED
SEVERAL prison officers were rushed to hospital after being violently attacked by inmates at a West London young offenders’ institution.
Around 14 staff at Feltham Young Offenders’ Institution were reportedly set upon in a “pre-planned” attack at lunchtime on Friday December 27.
One female prison officer was slashed across her ear while another was punched in the face.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said there were no serious injuries and the matter was brought under control “within 25 minutes”.
It is not known how many inmates were involved.
It has been reported the attack came after a series of cell searches on Eagle Unit recovered a cache of illegal items.
They included DIY weapons such as razors melted into toothbrushes and sharpened hard plastic tops.
Initially, two male guards were ambushed, while colleagues who went to their rescue were also beaten.
A Prison Service spokesman said: “An incident at Feltham Young Offenders’ Institution was quickly resolved by our brave and diligent prison officers. We will never tolerate violence against our staff and will punish those involved.”
Feltham is home to around 100 boys and young men aged between 15 and 21.
An inspection report published in June identified soaring levels of violence and self-harm, high use of staff force, poor care and long periods of lock-up in cells in Feltham A, which holds offenders aged 15 to 18.
It prompted the government to halt placements at the unit.
The MoJ said there had been a sustained reduction in levels of assaults on staff, self-harm and use of force between the start of May and the end of August, but there are no plans to return the establishment to full capacity.
We will never tolerate violence against our staff and will punish those involved