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Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Give prison officers the lethal weapons ‘they need', Jenrick says
The Conservatives said secure armouries should be introduced at maximum security jails to be used as a last resort. They have also called for high-collar stab vests to be provided to frontline officers immediately, citing the threat from inmates after recent attacks on prison officers. Robert Jenrick commissioned counter-extremism expert and former prison governor Ian Acheson to carry out a rapid review into the violence (Yui Mok/PA) Mr Jenrick said there is a growing risk that a prison officer could be kidnapped or murdered in the line of duty without his proposed reforms. 'We have to stop pussy-footing around Islamist extremists and violent offenders in jails,' he said in a statement. 'Give them Tasers, give them stun grenades, give them baton rounds and give them access to lethal weapons,' he told the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme on Sky News. 'Let's ensure the officers have what they need,' he added. 'The Chief Inspector of Prisons himself has said that he can see a situation where people like Islamist terrorists get access through drones to weapons, to explosives, hold prison officers hostage, even kill officers. 'This is going to happen unless the Government take action.' Mr Jenrick commissioned counter-extremism expert and former prison governor Ian Acheson to carry out a rapid review into the violence. Mr Acheson said: 'The threat to officer safety is now intolerable and must be met decisively by the Government. 'The balance inside too many of our prisons has shifted away from control by the state to mere containment and the price is soaring levels of staff assaults and wrecked rehabilitation.' It come after attacks by high-profile inmates. Manchester Arena plotter Hashem Abedi targeted prison staff with boiling oil and homemade weapons in a planned ambush last month. Southport killer Axel Rudakubana (Merseyside Police/PA) Southport killer Axel Rudakubana allegedly attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh earlier this month by pouring boiling water over them. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered a snap review into whether stab vests should be used more routinely, and a trial that will give specialised officers dealing with serious incidents Tasers is due to be launched this summer. Officers already have access to batons and Pava spray, a synthetic form of pepper spray, in men's prisons in the public sector. Asked whether he could see that the public would want him to take responsibility for failing prisons as a former government minister, Mr Jenrick told the BBC's Sunday Morning With Laura Kuenssberg programme: 'We should have done more, but look, what Labour are doing now is making the problem worse, and they are reaching for the easy lever of letting prisoners out early.' More than 10,000 prisoners were released up to 70 days early by the Tory government, according to Ministry of Justice figures. Under the End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL) scheme, announced in October 2023, some prisoners could be freed 18 days before their conditional release date. That was increased to 35 days in March, and then to 70 days in May. The number of ECSL releases between October 17 and June 30 was 10,083, the data shows. Responding to the shadow justice secretary's comments, a Labour Party spokesperson said: 'Robert Jenrick is once again being totally dishonest about the Conservatives' dire record in a desperate attempt to distract from the crisis they left behind in our prison system. 'In 14 years they added fewer than 500 prison places in total and closed 1,600 cells in the high-security estate as assaults on prison officers soared and experienced officers quit. 'This Labour Government is cleaning up the mess the Conservatives created with a £4.7 billion investment to build new prisons and a zero-tolerance approach to violence in the system.'
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Give prison officers the lethal weapons ‘they need', Jenrick says
They have also called for high-collar stab vests to be provided to frontline officers immediately, citing the threat from inmates after recent attacks on prison officers. Robert Jenrick commissioned counter-extremism expert and former prison governor Ian Acheson to carry out a rapid review into the violence (Yui Mok/PA) Mr Jenrick said there is a growing risk that a prison officer could be kidnapped or murdered in the line of duty without his proposed reforms. 'We have to stop pussy-footing around Islamist extremists and violent offenders in jails,' he said in a statement. 'Give them Tasers, give them stun grenades, give them baton rounds and give them access to lethal weapons,' he told the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme on Sky News. 'Let's ensure the officers have what they need,' he added. 'The Chief Inspector of Prisons himself has said that he can see a situation where people like Islamist terrorists get access through drones to weapons, to explosives, hold prison officers hostage, even kill officers. 'This is going to happen unless the Government take action.' Mr Jenrick commissioned counter-extremism expert and former prison governor Ian Acheson to carry out a rapid review into the violence. Mr Acheson said: 'The threat to officer safety is now intolerable and must be met decisively by the Government. 'The balance inside too many of our prisons has shifted away from control by the state to mere containment and the price is soaring levels of staff assaults and wrecked rehabilitation.' It come after attacks by high-profile inmates. Manchester Arena plotter Hashem Abedi targeted prison staff with boiling oil and homemade weapons in a planned ambush last month. Southport killer Axel Rudakubana (Merseyside Police/PA) Southport killer Axel Rudakubana allegedly attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh earlier this month by pouring boiling water over them. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered a snap review into whether stab vests should be used more routinely, and a trial that will give specialised officers dealing with serious incidents Tasers is due to be launched this summer. Officers already have access to batons and Pava spray, a synthetic form of pepper spray, in men's prisons in the public sector. Asked whether he could see that the public would want him to take responsibility for failing prisons as a former government minister, Mr Jenrick told the BBC's Sunday Morning With Laura Kuenssberg programme: 'We should have done more, but look, what Labour are doing now is making the problem worse, and they are reaching for the easy lever of letting prisoners out early.' More than 10,000 prisoners were released up to 70 days early by the Tory government, according to Ministry of Justice figures. Under the End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL) scheme, announced in October 2023, some prisoners could be freed 18 days before their conditional release date. That was increased to 35 days in March, and then to 70 days in May. The number of ECSL releases between October 17 and June 30 was 10,083, the data shows. Responding to the shadow justice secretary's comments, a Labour Party spokesperson said: 'Robert Jenrick is once again being totally dishonest about the Conservatives' dire record in a desperate attempt to distract from the crisis they left behind in our prison system. 'In 14 years they added fewer than 500 prison places in total and closed 1,600 cells in the high-security estate as assaults on prison officers soared and experienced officers quit. 'This Labour Government is cleaning up the mess the Conservatives created with a £4.7 billion investment to build new prisons and a zero-tolerance approach to violence in the system.'
Western Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Give prison officers the lethal weapons ‘they need', Jenrick says
The Conservatives said secure armouries should be introduced at maximum security jails to be used as a last resort. They have also called for high-collar stab vests to be provided to frontline officers immediately, citing the threat from inmates after recent attacks on prison officers. Robert Jenrick commissioned counter-extremism expert and former prison governor Ian Acheson to carry out a rapid review into the violence (Yui Mok/PA) Mr Jenrick said there is a growing risk that a prison officer could be kidnapped or murdered in the line of duty without his proposed reforms. 'We have to stop pussy-footing around Islamist extremists and violent offenders in jails,' he said in a statement. 'Give them Tasers, give them stun grenades, give them baton rounds and give them access to lethal weapons,' he told the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme on Sky News. 'Let's ensure the officers have what they need,' he added. 'The Chief Inspector of Prisons himself has said that he can see a situation where people like Islamist terrorists get access through drones to weapons, to explosives, hold prison officers hostage, even kill officers. 'This is going to happen unless the Government take action.' Mr Jenrick commissioned counter-extremism expert and former prison governor Ian Acheson to carry out a rapid review into the violence. Mr Acheson said: 'The threat to officer safety is now intolerable and must be met decisively by the Government. 'The balance inside too many of our prisons has shifted away from control by the state to mere containment and the price is soaring levels of staff assaults and wrecked rehabilitation.' It come after attacks by high-profile inmates. Manchester Arena plotter Hashem Abedi targeted prison staff with boiling oil and homemade weapons in a planned ambush last month. Southport killer Axel Rudakubana (Merseyside Police/PA) Southport killer Axel Rudakubana allegedly attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh earlier this month by pouring boiling water over them. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered a snap review into whether stab vests should be used more routinely, and a trial that will give specialised officers dealing with serious incidents Tasers is due to be launched this summer. Officers already have access to batons and Pava spray, a synthetic form of pepper spray, in men's prisons in the public sector. Asked whether he could see that the public would want him to take responsibility for failing prisons as a former government minister, Mr Jenrick told the BBC's Sunday Morning With Laura Kuenssberg programme: 'We should have done more, but look, what Labour are doing now is making the problem worse, and they are reaching for the easy lever of letting prisoners out early.' More than 10,000 prisoners were released up to 70 days early by the Tory government, according to Ministry of Justice figures. Under the End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL) scheme, announced in October 2023, some prisoners could be freed 18 days before their conditional release date. That was increased to 35 days in March, and then to 70 days in May. The number of ECSL releases between October 17 and June 30 was 10,083, the data shows.
North Wales Chronicle
3 days ago
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Tories in call to arm specialist prison officers to counter Islamist gangs
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said specialist teams should be armed with Tasers, stun grenades, and in some circumstances, lethal weapons. He also called for high-collar stab vests to be provided to frontline officers right away, citing the threat from inmates after recent attacks on prison officers. 'Islamist gangs and violent prisoners in our jails are out of control. It's a national security emergency, but the Government is dithering. 'If they don't act soon, there is a very real risk that a prison officer is kidnapped or murdered in the line of duty, or that a terrorist attack is directed from inside prison,' he wrote in The Telegraph. He said he had commissioned former prison governor Ian Acheson to carry out a rapid review. 'We have to stop pussy-footing around Islamist extremists and violent offenders in jails,' he wrote. 'That means arming specialist prison officer teams with Tasers and stun grenades, as well as giving them access to lethal weapons in exceptional circumstances. 'If prison governors can't easily keep terrorist influencers and radicalising inmates apart from the mainstream prisoners they target, then we don't control our prisons – they do. We must take back control and restore order by giving officers the powers and protection they need.' It come after attacks by high-profile inmates. Manchester Arena plotter Hashem Abedi targeted prison staff with boiling oil and homemade weapons in a planned ambush last month. Southport killer Axel Rudakubana allegedly attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh earlier this month by pouring boiling water over them. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered a snap review into whether stab vests should be used more routinely, and a trial that will give specialised officers dealing with serious incidents Tasers is due to be launched this summer. Officers already have access to batons and Pava spray, a synthetic form of pepper spray, in men's prisons in the public sector. A Ministry of Justice source said the Government has a 'zero-tolerance approach' to violence and extremism in prisons. 'The last Government added just 500 cells to our prison estate, and left our jails in total crisis. In fourteen years, they closed 1,600 cells in the high-security estate, staff assaults soared, and experienced officers left in droves. Now the arsonists are pretending to be firefighters. 'This Government is cleaning up the mess the last Government left behind. We are building new prisons, with 2,400 new cells opened since we took office. And we take a zero-tolerance approach to violence and extremism inside.'
Powys County Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Tories in call to arm specialist prison officers to counter Islamist gangs
The Conservatives have called for some prison officers to have access to firearms to counter 'out of control' Islamist gangs and violent prisoners. Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said specialist teams should be armed with Tasers, stun grenades, and in some circumstances, lethal weapons. He also called for high-collar stab vests to be provided to frontline officers right away, citing the threat from inmates after recent attacks on prison officers. 'Islamist gangs and violent prisoners in our jails are out of control. It's a national security emergency, but the Government is dithering. 'If they don't act soon, there is a very real risk that a prison officer is kidnapped or murdered in the line of duty, or that a terrorist attack is directed from inside prison,' he wrote in The Telegraph. He said he had commissioned former prison governor Ian Acheson to carry out a rapid review. 'We have to stop pussy-footing around Islamist extremists and violent offenders in jails,' he wrote. 'That means arming specialist prison officer teams with Tasers and stun grenades, as well as giving them access to lethal weapons in exceptional circumstances. 'If prison governors can't easily keep terrorist influencers and radicalising inmates apart from the mainstream prisoners they target, then we don't control our prisons – they do. We must take back control and restore order by giving officers the powers and protection they need.' It come after attacks by high-profile inmates. Manchester Arena plotter Hashem Abedi targeted prison staff with boiling oil and homemade weapons in a planned ambush last month. Southport killer Axel Rudakubana allegedly attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh earlier this month by pouring boiling water over them. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered a snap review into whether stab vests should be used more routinely, and a trial that will give specialised officers dealing with serious incidents Tasers is due to be launched this summer. Officers already have access to batons and Pava spray, a synthetic form of pepper spray, in men's prisons in the public sector. A Ministry of Justice source said the Government has a 'zero-tolerance approach' to violence and extremism in prisons. 'The last Government added just 500 cells to our prison estate, and left our jails in total crisis. In fourteen years, they closed 1,600 cells in the high-security estate, staff assaults soared, and experienced officers left in droves. Now the arsonists are pretending to be firefighters. 'This Government is cleaning up the mess the last Government left behind. We are building new prisons, with 2,400 new cells opened since we took office. And we take a zero-tolerance approach to violence and extremism inside.'
