The number of attacks by inmates on prison officers has soared across Britain, it was revealed today. Mark Fairhurst, national chair of The Professional Trades Union for Prison, Correctional and Secure Psychiatric Workers (POA), said: 'Levels of violence against prison officers are at unprecedented levels and show no signs of diminishing. Ministers passed their target in April to recruit 2,500 new prison officers, but the number of middle-ranking prison officers who left in the year to June was up by 10 per cent on the previous 12 months. Levels of violence against prison officers are at unprecedented levels and show no signs of diminishing Mark Fairhurst, The Professional Trades Union for Prison, Correctional and Secure Psychiatric WorkersMillions of pounds is being spent on body scanners and sniffer dogs to spot hidden packages of drugs. And in September, a protest by prison staff over violence and safety concerns was called off by their union after the Government agreed to drop the threat of court action.

Source: Daily Mail December 15, 2018 15:56 UTC