HMP BIRMINGHAM is currently the most violent jail in the country despite a turnaround efforts since costly riots, a prison officer union claims.
Just over a year on from some of the worst disorder ever witnessed at a British prison, the situation is said to remain volatile at the Category B jail.
Inmates took over four wings during the 12-hour riot which started on December 16, 2016, and caused more than £6million worth of damage.
Around 500 prisoners escaped their cells at the privately-run Victorian jail, one of the largest in the country, before the unrest was quelled with the aid of specially-trained ‘Tornado’ team prison officers and riot police.
Joe Simpson, assistant general secretary and Birmingham representative of the Prison Officers’ Association, said: “At present HMP Birmingham is the most violent prison in the country according to the Violence Diagnostic Tool, which is supposedly used by management as a way of looking at where and when violence is happening and how it can be prevented.
“The people I speak to at Birmingham all say it is a dangerous place to work and I would rule nothing in or out about a repeat of the riot last year. The problems are the same as at other prisons throughout the country in that they haven’t got enough staff to run the prison and they can’t recruit and retain enough staff to fill the gap.”
The jail was the scene for another disturbance on September 3, when prisoners in one wing refused to return to their cells, leading to a stand-off with staff that lasted almost seven hours.
They were said to have chanted “we want burn”, in reference to the prison smoking ban, and to have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.
Mr Simpson said: “What needs to happen is an improvement in pay and conditions to recruit and retain staff and for a clampdown on violence.
“At present if an alleged act of violence is committed by a member of staff on a prisoner or a prisoner on a prisoner it is automatically referred to the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.
“What needs to happen is for this automatic procedure to be followed for attacks on prison officers. This would be a clear statement that violence will not be tolerated.”
Mr Simpson cited data from the Violence Diagnostic Tool, which has been used before by the union to highlight violence behind bars. The management at HMP Birmingham is understood to believe that this data does not include a league table and it is unfair to compare different types of prisons, with the jail having a relatively high level of ‘churn’ as inmates on remand come and go.
Andrew Neilson, Director of Campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, believes only a reduction in prisoner numbers will defuse a combustible situation.
“The riot in Birmingham prison was one of the worst disturbances of recent years,” Mr Neilson said.
“Sadly, it would be unwise to rule out the possibility of a similar incident flaring up in the prison system again.
“Since the riot, we have seen a succession of worrying inspection reports on prisons besieged with problems caused by overcrowding and staff shortages. Next month’s report on Liverpool prison is said to describe the worst conditions ever seen by inspectors.
“Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons, Peter Clarke, summed it up in his annual report when he wrote: ‘Last year I reported that too many of our prisons had become unacceptably violent and dangerous places. The situation has not improved - in fact it has become worse.’
“Ministers should heed the Chief Inspector’s warning and take bold but sensible action to reduce the prison population.
“This would save lives, protect staff and prevent more people being swept away into deeper currents of crime and despair.”
G4S has pledged to make improvements at HMP Birmingham and its staff were praised for their commitment in an independent report earlier this year.
Richard Stedman, the prison’s director, said: “Since the disturbance last year, Birmingham has undergone a number of significant changes including the refurbishment of the damaged wings, investment in new technology and the strengthening of external security measures in the Victorian part of the prison.
“Birmingham deals with some challenging individuals and the whole team is tremendously determined and committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all staff and the men in our care.
“There is an ongoing ambitious recruitment programme at Birmingham and we are working closely with our community partners and the Ministry of Justice to make further progress at Birmingham in the year ahead.”
THE RINGLEADERS
Five prison inmates who acted as ringleaders in the HMP Birmingham riot were jailed for 36 years in October.
John Burton, Luke Mansell, Ross Wilkinson, Robert Smith and Nathan Weston sparked the mass disorder.
Burton, 39, and Mansell, 24, were handed nine year jail sentences while 24-year-old Wilkinson, 34-year-old Smith and 23-year-old Weston were jailed for six years.
The sentences will run consecutively to any prison terms the five were already serving.
A sixth man, Grant Samed, 30, received a six-year prison sentence at Birmingham Crown Court on December 5.
Samed was the last inmate sentenced over the main disorder at the privately-run prison.
Jailing him, the Recorder of Birmingham, Judge Melbourne Inman QC, said: “This was a sustained mutiny and you, together with the other five, were undoubtedly the instigators of it.”
