Violent attacks in region's prisons are laid bare

At the privately-run HMP Oakwood, South Staffordshire's new £150 million super prison, an inmate attacked another with a pool ball stuffed into a sock while in another incident, a prisoner threw a container of hot water over a fellow inmate, scalding his arm.

At the neighbouring Brinsford Young Offenders Institution, in Featherstone, five offenders used kettles and leads to launch an attack.

In another assault at the New Road-based jail, an inmate grabbed a woman officer around the neck, punched her in the face and dragged her into his cell, attempting to strangle her.

Figures today revealed that between 2000 and 2011, there were a staggering 3,522 violent offences at Brinsford and a further 888 at HMP Featherstone based nearby.

Glyn Travis, from the Prison Officers Association, said today: "The association is extremely concerned at the level of reported assaults in prisons, but more concerned at the level of assaults that go unreported or not prosecuted by the police and Crown Prosecution Service.

"Across the West Midlands, prison officers face the daily challenge of going to work not knowing whether they will return safely. The work in prisons will only become more dangerous as this condemned government press ahead with budget cuts to save money, but will result in them playing Russian roulette with the health and well-being of prison staff and the public.

At HMP Oakwood, which opened last April, a prisoner threw a container of hot water over the right arm of another, causing severe scalding, while in another incident 11 prisoners staged a protest complaining about food served at lunch.

Also at the new site four prisoners were discovered barricaded in a cell having taken tables to block themselves in, while in another incident, a prisoner lost part of his right ear during an attack.

In other incidents at Brinsford an offender needed hospital treatment after being attacked by an inmate brandishing a flask. In another, prison staff had to draw their batons and intervene when nine inmates started brawling. One of those used a pool cue as a weapon.

A prison officer there also suffered a black eye when he was punched while intervening in a scrap between two inmates. And in another incident, three yobs wrecked their cells during a protest over a lack of tobacco.

South Staffordshire MP Gavin Williamson MP said: "The most important thing is to make sure there is support for prison officers to deal with these sorts of incidents. Prisoners who behave in this way should have the book thrown at them and any privileges they earned withdrawn."

Prison service spokesperson Victoria Burton said today: "The safety and security in prisons is of paramount importance and is critical in addressing the root causes of offending behaviour. We have a zero tolerance approach to anyone who is violent in our prisons, be it against prisoners, staff or visitors and we have systems in place to deal with incidents quickly and robustly with serious incidents referred to the police immediately."

Nicola Savage, spokeswoman for G4S, which runs HMP Oakwood, in Featherstone, said steps were taken by the company to reduce violent incidents in its prisons.

"G4S has a zero tolerance of violence and all prisons we operate for the Ministry of Justice. This means that any and all examples of violent behaviour are robustly challenged by staff.

"Staff will robustly challenge prisoners who threaten violence, for example by removing all privileges.

"While we do not comment on individual cases, all reported incidents are treated extremely seriously and are investigated promptly in order that the appropriate action may be taken and the necessary steps taken to prevent any repeat of similar instances in the future," she added.