Violence soars in region's prisons

Jul 26 2009 by Tom Mullen, Sunday Sun

HORRIFIC violence among prisoners at six North jails is exposed today.

Boiling oil attacks, broken bones and stabbings are included in a dossier of jailbird disorder accessed by the Sunday Sun.

Our investigation reveals an assault took place every day over the last two years, as out-of-control cons clashed behind bars.

Injuries inflicted include stab wounds, broken teeth and bones, horrific burns and even one lag who was permanently blinded.

Today, the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) blamed rising violence on a lack of adequate funding.

Tony Merricks, North East spokesman for the POA said: “I get in all the jails here and I see all the problems . . . and violence in prisons is going up.

“Unfortunately, because of reduced budgets, prisons don’t have the staff to properly supervise the inmates at all times. So they’re spending more time locked up, and their frustrations reach boiling point.

“Like anybody else they have to take out these frustrations, and it is usually on their fellow prisoners.”

A total of 926 assaults were recorded over 2007/8 at the County Durham jails Frankland, Durham, Low Newton and Deerbolt, and Northumberland’s Acklington jail and Castington young offenders’ institute.

The jails house some of Britain’s most notorious criminals, including Soham child killer Ian Huntley, a number of al Qaida terrorists and North canoe conman John Darwin.