Prison nurse loses an EYE after lag he was treating fractured his eye-socket when he landed a single vicious punch
The healthcare worker was set upon at Cookham Wood Young Offenders' Institute, in Borstal, near Rochester, Kent
A PRISON nurse has lost an eye after being punched in a vicious attack by a young con.
The senior male healthcare worker was tending to the lag when he was set upon last Friday.
A single punch left him with a suspected fractured eye socket and bleeding around the eye.
He was rushed to hospital but medics were unable to save his sight.
The attack - the latest example of Britain's prisons crisis - took place in the health care centre at Cookham Wood Young Offenders' Institute, in Borstal, near Rochester, Kent.
Last November inspectors warned violence was soaring, with assaults on staff doubling since they last visited.
There had been 21 attacks in just six months, with some officers seriously injured.
A source said: "The prisoner was taken to the HCC after being restrained in a unit.
"He was being checked by the senior nurse when he suddenly went berserk.
"The inmate punched the nurse in the eye, fracturing his eye socket.
"A number of prison officers were required to restrain the prisoner."
The inmate has been put into segregation.
Police are investigating.
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The attack comes in the wake of a number of assaults on high ranking prison governors.
In July, prison governor Paul Cawkwell was attacked at Wayland prison in Norfolk.
He suffered injuries to his cheek bone, eye socket and nose after being beaten at the category c jail.
A month later, a female governor at Brinsford Young Offenders Institution near Wolverhampton, was attacked.
She was punched a number of times in the prison's Care and Separation Unit.
Glyn Travis, assistant secretary of the Prison Officers Association, said: "This latest attack is quite sickening.
"A senior nurse was doing his job in a compassionate and professional manner when he was brutally assaulted.
"As a result, he has lost an eye. His injuries are life changing.
"It seems prisoners do not fear the consequences of their actions.
"This must change."
Cookham Wood holds young men aged 15-17-years-old who are either on
remand or convicted.
It has a capacity of 196.
Last night a Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: "We do not tolerate any violence against the dedicated staff who work with our offenders.
"Safety in custody is fundamental to the proper functioning of our justice system.
"When incidents like this occur we work closely with the police to push for the strongest possible punishment.
"This incident is now being investigated by police therefore we cannot comment further at this stage.”
Last month The Sun revealed lags in Brit jails carry out 19 attacks on prison staff every day.
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