UK prison anarchy exposed as shocking 19-day investigation reveals 30 guards attacked by lags, hostage taking, legal highs and £1million of damage in HMP Bedford riot
The UK's jails have become little more than a war-zone as the level of rioting, violence and drug-abuse reaches tipping point
THE anarchy in UK prisons has been laid bare through a shocking 19-day snapshot of life behind bars.
There were also 96 “lag-on-lag” attacks — and 15 deaths in custody.
The figures were gathered from just 20 of the 199 jails in England and Wales, meaning they potentially represent just the tip of the iceberg.
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In the same statistics, it emerged that 12 smuggling operations involving drones were reported by officers.
Officers at a jail in the North East found cannabis in the carcass of a rabbit on perimeter fencing.
The internal figures, compiled by the Ministry of Justice, also show 13 mobile phones discovered. And under-pressure staff dealt with 162 incidents involving inmates threatening to jump from prison wings.
Meanwhile, there were five fires in cells and 16 incidents of “concerted indiscipline”.
These include the riot at Bedford prison, where 300 inmates ran amok causing £1million damage, and the rampage at Lewes prison in East Sussex, where lags took over a wing, leaving a £50,000 repair bill.
Other stats show 16 incidents of prisoners self-harming and 14 cases of hostage-taking.
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There were also 13 lags absconding or escaping, including two prisoners who recently went on the run from Pentonville in North London.
The figures from the 20 prisons cover the period between October 24 and November 11.
They come just days after 1,000 prison officers staged a walkout across England and Wales.
One officer said: “These incidents are happening daily throughout the prison estate, including top-security jails where the most dangerous and mentally unstable inmates are held. Every day is different. You never know what you will face when you walk into work. A suicide, a murder, a riot, any number of incidents.
“It is a very dangerous and volatile environment to work in, especially when you’re under-staffed.
“You never know whether you’re going to end up in hospital — or dead.”
Striking members of the Prison Officers Association were ordered back to work last Tuesday after the Government won a High Court injunction.
Justice Secretary Liz Truss has promised an extra £1.3billlion funding and 2,100 new prison officers.
A spokesman for the Prison Service said there would be "new security measures to tackle drones, phones and drugs and help make prisons places of safety and reform."
But critics warn the service is losing more staff than it can recruit. Glyn Travis of the Prison Officers Association said: “This is a snapshot of the crisis befalling the prison estate.
With every month, week and day, it gets worse and the Government’s reaction is too little, too late.
“Quite simply, we need more officers — and for those officers to be paid a proper wage for their dangerous job.”