'ARM US'
Prison officers demand power to use Tasers in UK’s toughest jails after Manchester bomb plotter attacked staff
The Prison Service said it will investigate whether front-line staff should be given protective body armour following the attack
PRISON officers want the power to use Tasers inside our toughest jails after an attack on staff by the Manchester bomb plotter.
Union bosses want specially-trained staff armed with stun guns to deal with violent lags in high-security wings.
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It comes after Hashem Abedi hurled boiling oil and used improvised weapons to attack and injure three guards at HMP Frankland.
He was jailed for a minimum of 55 years for murder for helping his suicide bomber brother Salman plan the 2017 arena concert attack which killed 22.
Mark Fairhurst, chairman of the Prison Officers’ Association, will make the case to Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Wednesday.
"He said: “We’re in an enclosed environment and we’re facing people armed with home-made knives.
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“What do we do next?
“We haven’t even got stab-proof vests, so we need Taser as a tactical option to save lives.”
The Prison Service said it will investigate whether front-line staff should be given protective body armour following Abedi’s attack earlier this month.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “It is clear there are further questions to answer, and more that must be done.
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“This will look into how this was able to happen, and what we must do to better protect our prison officers in the future.
“This review will look specifically at this attack, but also more widely at how separation centres are run.”
Manchester Arena terrorist’s brother admits helping to plot bombing that killed 22 people
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