Pepper spray to be used in young offender institutions as violence rises
Pepper spray will now be used in young offender institutions - where the rate of assaults on staff is 14 times higher than in adult prisons.
Specially trained prison officers in England will be allowed to use PAVA, a synthetic pepper spray, "as a last resort" to help de-escalate and diffuse violent situations from this summer.
They will only be allowed to use the spray in limited circumstances where there is serious violence or an imminent risk of it taking place, and ministers will review its use after 12 months.
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New figures show the rate of assaults in the UK's three youth offender institutions is around 14 times higher than in adult prisons.
Assaults by children and young people on staff at HYOI Feltham A, HMYOI Werrington and HMYOI Wetherby increased by nearly 25% in 2024 compared with the previous year.
The Ministry of Justice hopes allowing officers to use pepper spray will keep young people in custody safe so they can focus on rehabilitation and reduce reoffending.
Minister for youth justice Sir Nic Dakin said: "This government inherited a criminal justice system in crisis.
"The unacceptable levels of violence faced by our brave frontline officers in young offender institutions is yet another symptom of that.
"This is not a decision we have made lightly, but our overarching duty is to keep staff and young people in custody safe.
"This spray is a vital tool to prevent serious violence, helping staff to focus on rehabilitation as part of our plan for change."
Pepper spray is already used on children and adults in the community, and in adult prisons.
It can be used during the most serious incidents in youth offender institutions, but only by national tactical response officers, who are nationally based and have to be authorised to go into an institution by a prison gold commander.
Deploying officers can take more than an hour, and because altercations often arise rapidly and with little warning, they can rarely arrive in time to respond to the violence.
The number of young people in custody has fallen significantly in recent years, however, the majority are older teenage boys, aged 16 to 18 years old.
More than two-thirds are there for violent offences such as murder, attempted murder and grievous bodily harm.
Safety concerns have been rising, with recent incidents seeing young offenders seriously injured and staff experiencing fractures, dislocations, puncture wounds and lacerations.
Staff acting as body shields
A senior Ministry of Justice source told Sky News many of the boys are the same size as adults.
They said a recent example includes a boy being attacked by five others boys who stamped on his head and he was stabbed with a weapon.
"I've got staff here that are putting their bodies in the way to defend and try and prevent injuries happening to young people and as a result of that they're being injured themselves," they said.
"I think that's a prime example of where if we've got an incapacitant spray like PAVA it could be utilised effectively to defuse the situation and not only cause significant harm to my staff but also to young people."
Like rubbing chillies in your eyes
The source explained the pepper spray has the same effect as if you rub chillies in your eye while cooking, with eyes experiencing a burning sensation, eyes close up, produce tears and snot - "but it passes".
They said when they tested the spray on themselves it took 45 minutes to an hour to pass and people have different levels of discomfort and irritation.
"It means you physically can't respond in the way you normally do, so that ability to then ask the staff to step in because that person is impacted by it is the crucial stuff," they added.
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4 years after Haiti's president was killed, the investigation drags on
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4 years after Haiti's president was killed, the investigation drags on
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In another outburst in March, a judge repeatedly pressed Joseph Badio, the former Ministry of Justice official who spent two years on the run, about his call to former Prime Minister Ariel Henry after the assassination. At the time, Henry had only been nominated as prime minister by Moïse. 'You can say whatever you want with your mouth,' Badio told the judge, who ordered him to sit as he rose while speaking. 'There is no prohibition for me to communicate with anyone I want.' The tension has carried over into interrogations of the Colombian suspects, who maintain they were hired by a Miami-based security firm to provide security for power and water treatment plants and diplomatic officials, as well as train Haitian police and soldiers. The Colombians have denied involvement, while their attorney, Nathalie Delisca, said there has been no presumption of innocence during the interrogations. 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Working under threat While the case in Haiti has stalled, the U.S. has charged 11 extradited suspects , with five already pleading guilty to conspiring to kill Moïse. Five other suspects are awaiting trial, which is now scheduled for March 2026. They include Anthony 'Tony' Intriago, owner of Miami-based CTU Security, and Haitian-Americans James Solages , a key suspect, and Christian Emmanuel Sanon , a pastor, doctor and failed businessman who envisioned himself as Haiti's new leader. Moïse's widow, Martine Moïse , is expected to testify in the U.S. case. She was injured in the attack and accused by a Haitian judge of complicity and criminal association, which her attorneys deny. Court documents say the plan was to detain Jovenel Moïse and whisk him away, but changed after the suspects failed to find a plane or sufficient weapons. A day before Moïse died, Solages falsely told other suspects it was a CIA operation and the mission was to kill the president, the documents allege. Bruner Ulysse, a lawyer and history professor in Haiti, lamented how the local investigation has highlighted what he called 'profound challenges' in Haiti's judicial system. 'While international efforts have yielded some results, the quest for justice in Haiti remains elusive,' Ulysse said. 'Judges, prosecutors and lawyers operate under constant threat.' ___ Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
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Molotov cocktail police attacker jailed for life
A man who tried to murder a police officer while armed with Molotov cocktails has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years. Alexander Dighton, 28 from Pontyclun, Rhondda Cynon Taf, was wearing body armour when he carried out the attack outside Talbot Green police station in January. Counter terror police said Dighton was interviewed by officers a year before the attack, but was believed not to be a threat. Dighton injured several officers and admitted trying to murder a police officer with a knife and was sentenced at the Old Bailey in London. Due to the time Dighton spent on remand he will spend a minimum term of 21 years and 235 days before he can be considered for parole. The court heard he was also made subject of terrorist notification requirements for 30 years. Judge Mark Lucraft KC said the crimes committed by Dighton "satisfies all the offences have terrorist connections." "You targeted the police as a keystone of government power," he added. He added Dighton had wanted to make a statement that the government had failed in its duties to uphold law and order and his attack had involved "significant planning" with the intent of "serious violence". "I note your online activity shows increasing fixation on issues like diversity, paedophilia, immigration, anti-Islamic sentiment and dissatisfaction with the British government," he added. Frank Ferguson, head of CPS special crime and counter terrorism division, said: "By his own admission he wanted to take the life of a police officer, to cause damage and spill blood." Dighton arrived at Talbot Green police station in January armed with a hatchet, a pole and Molotov cocktails. Brandishing his weapons, he told PC Stephanie Fleming, who confronted him: "I'm fed up, I'm done." Dighton threw one Molotov cocktail at a police van, but it failed to ignite, so he poured petrol onto another and set it alight. He then used a long wooden pole to smash the van's windows. Dighton was tasered and sprayed with Pava spray, but it had no effect. He attacked Sgt Richard Coleman in the station foyer, hitting him in the head with the pole, and then punched Det Con Joshua Emlyn. At this point three police officers attempted to restrain Dighton, and he stabbed Det Con Jack Cotton in the leg, wounding him. Dighton represented himself in court at a previous hearing and admitted attempted murder with a knife, attempted arson, attacking two other police officers, and threatening a third - pleading guilty to a total of 11 charges. Two officers were treated in hospital for their injuries. The judge told the Old Bailey on Friday the officers were in a state of shock and some thought they were going to die. Before sentencing, Ch Supt Stephen Jones, of South Wales Police, said the officers were doing "remarkably well", but said it has had a "profound impact" on their families. "Ultimately officers are public servants, but they're also fathers, mothers, wives and husbands and sons and daughters, and the impact on their families has been really heartfelt," he said. "We face these perils, and quite often unexpectedly", he said. He said the officers had to respond to a "committed, lone individual who was exceptionally aggressive". After, Ch Supt Jones insisted Talbot Green remained a "very safe and quiet area" but acknowledged it had experienced two separate major incidents within a few weeks of each other. "We have increased patrols and increased the number of officers working out of Talbot Green to protect the community," he added. At a previous court hearing Dighton told the judge, Mrs Justice Cheema Grubb: "Authority is not my problem - but the use of authority that I have seen since I was 15, that is my problem." Dighton was motivated by anti-government ideology, and when he was arrested he said: "I've been damned from birth." Police believe Dighton began planning his attack a month before the incident. When his home in Pontyclun, was searched journals containing anti-immigrant ideologies and a return to "traditional" society were found. Dighton was already known to counter-terrorism police in Wales, he was interviewed by officers a year before the attack. He was referred to the Prevent, a counter extremism programme in January 2024, by his sister where officers carried out a three week "detailed assessment" of Dighton. Prosecutor Nicholas Hearn said she had stated he was "vulnerable as he has gone missing previously and has attempted suicide." Det Supt Andrew Williams of Counter Terrorism Policing Wales said: "He was referred to us following concerns around his anti-immigration stance, his anti-Islam stance and his general racist views." He said Dighton was interviewed "at length" and "due-diligence checks" were carried out to make sure officers "knew about him and his history". He said Dighton "did not fit the criteria" to be included on the Prevent programme. "There was no information at all from that assessment or from that referral that would give any indication whatsoever that Alexander Dighton would go on, a year later, to commit an attack of this nature," Det Supt Williams said. He said he believed the initial assessment of Dighton was correct. "I am very confident in the assessment and skills of those officers and support them completely in the decisions they undertook," he said. Asked if he was satisfied Dighton was de-radicalised, or did not present a threat, Det Supt Williams said: "I am happy that's the case, yes." Dighton previously pleaded guilty to attempted arson and attempting to murder Det Con Jack Cotton. He also admitted assaulting Sgt Richard Coleman, threatening PC Stephanie Fleming, assaulting Det Con Joshua Emlyn, having an adapted wooden pole as a weapon, having a knife, having a hatchet, damaging a police van, and damaging a second police van.
