Latest news with #MarkFairhurst
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Officers could be murdered in jail attacks
Prison officers need to have stronger protection against attacks by inmates, their union has demanded after four assaults in a week. In the latest, at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire on Friday, an officer had to be airlifted for emergency surgery after being stabbed. Three others were hurt over two days at HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire. Now Mark Fairhurst, of the Prison Officers' Association (POA), has said prisoners who pose the highest risk should be "totally locked down". "It's only a matter of time before one of my colleagues is murdered on duty," he added. Mr Fairhurst, the POA's national chair, told BBC Breakfast: "We know our jails are awash with all kinds of illicit items, but we very rarely lock them down." He called for facilities like so-called supermax prisons in the US, in which dangerous inmates are locked up and only have limited access to recreation and other facilities outside their cells. Rise in assaults on prison staff by inmates High-security unit inmates barred from kitchens after attack Prison violence harming rehabilitation - families After Friday's stabbing, West Mercia Police said initial inquiries suggested it was "isolated" and was not being treated as terrorism, and had followed a disagreement between an inmate and staff. In Cambridgeshire, two of the three injured officers had boiling water thrown over them. Responding to those attacks, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) condemned them as "unacceptable". "We will not tolerate assaults on hard-working prison officers and will always push for the strongest punishments against perpetrators," it said. Concerns had already been raised over increased violence in prisons in recent months. In April, the government suspended access to kitchen facilities for high-security inmates, after Manchester Arena bomber Hashem Abedi threw hot oil at officers and stabbed them with a blade, at HMP Frankland in County Durham. The union leader linked the violence to increasing amounts of contraband finding their way into jails, often dropped by drones flying over the prison estate. "Why are our air spaces not tightened? Why do we have ingress of drones in our prisons?" Mr Fairhurst asked. "Surely there must be technology out there that prevents drones entering air spaces?" Earlier this month, police made two arrests after a drone was seen circling above Long Lartin. Mr Fairhurst's warning echoed that of the chief inspector of prisons, who said in January that the issue was "a threat to national security" and that police had effectively "ceded airspace" to criminal gangs. The MoJ said it was "gripping the situation by investing in prison maintenance and security, working with the police and others to tackle serious organised crime". Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Prison officer has emergency surgery after stabbing Prison staff attacks prompt police investigation Two arrested after drone spotted above prison Prison Officers' Association
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Inmate attacks on Long Lartin and Whitemoor officers spark anger
Prison officers need to have stronger protection against attacks by inmates, their union has demanded after four assaults in a the latest, at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire on Friday, an officer had to be airlifted for emergency surgery after being others were hurt over two days at HMP Whitemoor in Mark Fairhurst, of the Prison Officers' Association (POA), has said prisoners who pose the highest risk should be "totally locked down". "It's only a matter of time before one of my colleagues is murdered on duty," he added. Mr Fairhurst, the POA's national chair, told BBC Breakfast: "We know our jails are awash with all kinds of illicit items, but we very rarely lock them down."He called for facilities like so-called supermax prisons in the US, in which dangerous inmates are locked up and only have limited access to recreation and other facilities outside their cells. After Friday's stabbing, West Mercia Police said initial inquiries suggested it was "isolated" and was not being treated as terrorism, and had followed a disagreement between an inmate and Cambridgeshire, two of the three injured officers had boiling water thrown over to those attacks, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) condemned them as "unacceptable"."We will not tolerate assaults on hard-working prison officers and will always push for the strongest punishments against perpetrators," it had already been raised over increased violence in prisons in recent April, the government suspended access to kitchen facilities for high-security inmates, after Manchester Arena bomber Hashem Abedi threw hot oil at officers and stabbed them with a blade, at HMP Frankland in County Durham. Illegal drones The union leader linked the violence to increasing amounts of contraband finding their way into jails, often dropped by drones flying over the prison estate."Why are our air spaces not tightened? Why do we have ingress of drones in our prisons?" Mr Fairhurst asked."Surely there must be technology out there that prevents drones entering air spaces?"Earlier this month, police made two arrests after a drone was seen circling above Long Fairhurst's warning echoed that of the chief inspector of prisons, who said in January that the issue was "a threat to national security" and that police had effectively "ceded airspace" to criminal MoJ said it was "gripping the situation by investing in prison maintenance and security, working with the police and others to tackle serious organised crime". Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Chemical castration of sex offenders in regional pilot had ‘some success'
A pilot scheme of chemical castration of sex offenders in south-west England 'has had successful outcomes', a prison officers' union has said. The Government has accepted a proposal in the independent sentencing review to explore further use of medication to suppress the sex drive of offenders, currently being piloted in the region. A national rollout will begin in two regions covering 20 prisons in response to the review which called for the services to be piloted on a small scale. The Prison Officers' Association (POA) represents some healthcare staff who work in jails and a union boss said their members have 'not reported any difficulties when administering this medication' as part of the south-west trial. POA chairman Mark Fairhurst said: 'The POA have been fully briefed on the extension of this trial which has had some successful outcomes. 'We are not in a position to disclose which sites this medication will be extended to.' Under the review led by former justice secretary David Gauke, it recommended for ministers to build more evidence around the use of chemical suppression for sex offenders. It also highlighted the treatment would not be relevant for some sex offenders such as rapists driven by power and control, rather than sexual preoccupation. Chemical suppressants have been used in Germany and Denmark on a voluntary basis, and in Poland as mandatory for some offenders. The review said the medications are not widely used in prisons across England and Wales but are currently delivered in prisons through a national programme, jointly commissioned by the NHS and prison service, that provides 'psychologically informed' services for offenders with complex needs, and likely diagnosed with personality disorder. It was first piloted in the UK at HMP Whatton, in Nottingham, in 2007, and was rolled out to six more prisons in 2016. In 2022, the pilot scheme extended the treatment, called clinical management of sexual arousal, to five prisons in the south west of England. Chemical suppressants include hormonal drugs, anti-androgens, which can be prescribed to reduce libido, and non-hormonal drugs such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which can be used to reduce compulsive sexual thoughts. The review said: 'Only medical specialists can prescribe these medications and they should only be used in conjunction with other psycho-social treatment and support, for example, to aid individuals to engage fully with these interventions. 'Before any decision is made to establish further services for chemical suppression across England and Wales, services must be piloted on a small scale with evaluations produced. 'Various considerations, such as side effects and potential ramifications for victims, will need to be examined.' The review also called for the need to research international use of the method to look at 'ethical and practical' implications, adding: 'As gaining valid, informed consent to a course of treatment is a key tenet of medical law and ethics in England and Wales.' On Thursday, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed the Government is also exploring whether some criminals could be forced to take the medical treatment. She told the Commons that existing studies show a 60% reduction in offending, and it would be for a subset of sex offenders where the combination of chemical suppressants and psychological interventions can 'have a big and positive impact'. 'For many years there's a pilot that has been trundling along and nobody has shown much interest in it, including any of my predecessors,' she said. 'I'm not squeamish about taking these further measures. 'It's why we're going to have a national rollout of this programme … so that we can build the evidence base and make sure that we are using every tool at our disposal that can cut reoffending.' The Government has not yet confirmed which regions or prisons will be part of the pilot scheme. But reacting to the announcement, Prison Reform Trust chief executive Pia Sinha said forcing medical treatment raises 'clear ethical considerations' which could put medical practitioners in an 'invidious' position. She said: 'Medical interventions to address the behaviour of people convicted of sexual offences only applies to particular types of offending – it must not be seen as a panacea. 'Any treatment that targets its use needs to be strictly risk-assessed by medical experts rather than ministers. 'Forcing people to have medical treatment raises clear ethical considerations and would also place medical practitioners in an invidious position.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Walmart+ shoppers drive two-thirds of grocery sales
You can find original article here Supermarketnews. Subscribe to our free daily Supermarketnews newsletter. U.S. online grocery sales experienced its ninth consecutive month of sales eclipsing $9.5 billion in April, climbing 15.2% to $9.8 billion, according to the monthly Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopper Survey, sponsored by Mercatus. The delivery and ship-to-home fulfillment methods rose 29% to $4.2 billion and 22.1% to $1.9 billion year over year, respectively, while pickup remained flat at $3.7 billion. The survey of 1,699 shoppers found that the mass merchandise category continued to expand its monthly active user base in April, growing household penetration by 50% year over year. And order frequency among those shoppers has also grown, according to the report. 'Historically, memberships and subscriptions were considered more effective at building loyalty with regular customers, however, today we see that these programs are also attracting shoppers from rivals as households search for more savings,' said David Bishop, partner at Brick Meets Click, in a press release. 'Regardless, Walmart+ has become a core component of its strategy as approximately two-thirds of the households ordering groceries online from Walmart during April 2025 were Walmart+ members.' Walmart+ members are also spending 40% more than their non-loyalty counterparts and are 10% more likely to express their intent to use the service again. 'Discounted memberships have put delivery in the spotlight, but lasting loyalty forms where speed, control, and value meet,' said Mercatus Chief Growth Marketing Officer Mark Fairhurst in the press release. 'Regional grocers who combine fast, free pickup with a compelling subscription program, data-driven rewards, and timely outreach to lapsed shoppers can turn trial orders into repeat business while protecting margins.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Mail
11-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Bring US-style supermax prisons to the UK: Demands for Britain's worst offenders and terrorists to be locked up 23 hours a day without cushy perks
Britain's most dangerous prisoners should be kept in US-style 'super-max' prisons, the head of the prison officers' union demanded after another violent attack behind bars. Mark Fairhurst called for the American model, which isolates violent inmates - locking them in their cells for 23 hours a day - to be introduced before it's too late. 'The authorities need to act before there is a tragedy.' Mr Fairhurst, chairman of the Prison Officers' Association, which represents rank and file staff warned. 'Super-max' conditions would only allow the worst inmates to leave their cell for an hour of exercise a day. In practice, they would be banned from associating with other prisoners, using cooking facilities and equipment, and escorted while handcuffed by three staff when they leave their cell. The warning follows an assault at Belmarsh high security prison when Southport triple killer Axel Rudakubana allegedly threw boiling water at a guard. It is understood the 18-year-old was able to boil the water in a kettle in his cell and throw it through a hatch. The attack came just weeks after Manchester Arena terrorist Hashem Abedi, 28, fashioned two 20cm-blades from baking trays and threw boiling oil over three guards in a Separation Centre (SC) at HMP Frankland in County Durham, which houses a small number of the most radical terrorists. One male officer was stabbed in the neck, with the blade coming close to severing an artery. Another male officer was stabbed at least five times in the back, puncturing a lung. One of their female colleagues was also injured. Counter-terror police are investigating how the attack was planned. One line of enquiry is said to focus on what role, if any, notorious hate preacher Anjem Choudary played in the 'ambush'. Prison officers believe Choudary – described as the 'Daddy' of the SC in Frankland where he is serving 28 years, and one of the first extremists to have been placed in the centre in 2017 – might have encouraged Abedi to carry out the attack. In 2022, Choudary explained how SCs actually benefit extremist inmates. 'Practising Muslims who go to prison want to spend their time with fellow Muslims, and they don't want to be constantly looking over their shoulder,' he said. 'This creates an ideal scenario for them – being placed with like-minded individuals – where they can collectively ignore the prison infrastructure entirely.' In 2023, Denny De Silva, a drug-dealing murderer, who converted to Islam upon being jailed was moved to an SC. De Silva, who is described as an 'extremist enforcer' who 'influences and incites' other Muslim prisoners wherever he goes, launched a legally aided court battle in which he claimed his human rights had been breached. Located along a single short corridor, the SC includes cells with sound-blocking glass 'bafflers' to prevent the men inside from radicalising inmates on other wings. But De Silva's High Court hearing revealed that he still had access to the gym and library, he complained his time there was 'limited' – as was his use of a computer. He also complained about timetabled 'nutrition sessions' that didn't take place – instead he was given healthy-eating leaflets to read – while cooking classes failed to meet his expectations. The Frankland unit houses a TV room featuring a pool table and bookshelf, and while there are no fitness facilities, staff can arrange for inmates to visit the main prison gym and they are entitled to five hours out of their cells on weekends. The inmates can also access a kitchen area, which Abedi - who helped his brother Salman plan the Manchester Arena bombing - used to source and heat the cooking oil and fashion his makeshift blades. Former prison officer Neil Samworth, said the way dangerous terrorists like Abedi were being managed was 'madness'. 'The fact that Abedi had access to all the kitchen facilities is hard to comprehend, but typical of the way prisons are run today,' he told MailOnline. 'The staff are not safe on these wings.' In the US, the only federally run 'super-max' prison is ADX Florence in Colorado, nicknamed the Alcatraz of the Rockies. Inmates are strictly controlled and additional penalties are imposed if they break any rules. They include a large number of British terrorists, including Abu Hamza, the hook-handed preacher from Finsbury Park mosque, north London; Richard Reid, the airline shoe-bomber; and the 'Isis Beatles', Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh. 'For the most violent, dangerous criminals who are intent on committing atrocities and attacking staff, the time has come for control and containment,' Mr Fairhurst told The Sunday Times. 'This cohort of prisoners should not enjoy the same privileges and freedoms as those who do conform.' In Britain, serious assaults on prison officers increased 19 per cent in a year according to Home Office figures. Professor Acheson, who led an independent review of Islamist extremism in prisons, called on the Prison Service to put staff protection above prisoners' rights. He said: 'A prisoner having a kettle is not a human right, especially when it could be used as a weapon by somebody who is dangerous. 'There is a forest of red flags accompanying this wretched young man and, given that, I cannot see any reason why he would have been provided with anything other than food and drink delivered to his cell, because the risk he poses is serious and very obvious. 'There has been a recent escalation in violent attacks and it is reasonable to conclude that we are closer to the murder of a prison officer on duty than ever before. That is a real and significant prospect and is one which the Prison Service is ignoring. 'The balance has become completely skewed, particularly at Belmarsh, in favour of the rights of prisoners against the harm they might pose to prison officers. 'That balance is dangerously out of whack and needs to be restored.' It is believed that Rudakubana was in a cell in Belmarsh's healthcare centre when the attack happened. A prison source said it was 'unsurprising' he was in that wing because the nature of his crime and his life sentence would put him at high risk of self-harm. A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'Violence in prison will not be tolerated and we will always push for the strongest possible punishment for attacks on our hardworking staff.' But former prison governor Professor Acheson branded the statement as 'delusional, hopeless boiler plate rubbish' adding: 'Not only is it tolerated, it is normalised. 'People running the Prison Service always talk about overcrowding, but none of these high security prisons are overcrowded – none of them. Something else is going on. 'And I believe that something else is the completely inappropriate appeasement of very dangerous prisoners by leadership who are effectively throwing their frontline staff under the bus.' When Abedi, jailed for life for helping his brother carry out the 2017 suicide bombing, attacked the prison officers at Frankland, they were equipped with only extendable batons and cans of incapacitant spray. He was moved to Belmarsh and is being held in the same segregation unit as Rudakubana. A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'The Met is investigating after a prison officer was subject to a serious assault at HMP Belmarsh.'
