SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT

UK prison officers regain control of jail

A riot featuring about 300 prisoners at a jail in the British city of Birmingham has now been contained by prison officers.

The scene at HMP Birmingham
The scene at HMP Birmingham Source: AAP

2 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Skip to article content

Prison officers have regained control of inmates at a prison in Birmingham, England on Friday, more than 12 hours after rioting broke out among 300 prisoners.

A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said officers now have control of all four wings of the jail.

Prisoners took over of at least two wings of HMP Birmingham jail on Friday, authorities said, in the latest and most serious disturbance at a British prison this year.

The trouble erupted at the prison in central England, which can hold 1,450 male prisoners, shortly after 9am local time, forcing staff to withdraw, according to G4S, the private firm that runs the jail.

"Our teams withdrew following a disturbance and sealed two wings, which include some administrative offices," said Jerry Pethericka, managing director for G4S custodial and detention services.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

"It's understood a set of keys giving access to residential areas was taken from an officer and that offenders have since occupied some blocks and exercise facilities," West Midlands Police said in statement.

The Ministry of Justice says it has controlled the situation.

"The situation is contained, the perimeter is secure and there is no risk to the public," the ministry said.

"We are absolutely clear that prisoners who behave in this way will be punished and could spend significantly longer behind bars."

The UK government has unveiled plans to reform prisons and improve safety, but the Prison Governors' Association said jails were in a parlous state because of a decline in pay and the cutting of staff numbers.

"The prison service is around 800 uniformed staff short and the cavalry of the promised additional 2,500 staff are months and years away from arriving," it says.


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world