Prison officers 'must be armed' to prevent murder or kidnap

Prison officers must be armed with tasers, stun grenades and baton rounds to prevent their kidnap or murder by terrorists, according to Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick. The former Tory leadership contender wants "secure armouries" holding "lethal weapons" installed at maximum security jails as a last resort to tackle violent prisoners.

Mr Jenrick said the Government must "take back control" of the nation's prisons from "Islamist gangs and violent prisoners". There are strong fears terrorists will succeed in delivering guns and explosives by drones to inmates.

A prison officer required emergency surgery after being stabbed on Friday at HMP Long Lartin. The 25-year-old was airlifted to hospital after the attack. The Prison Officers' Association (POA) wants terrorists put in "supermax" facilities and is demanding urgent action "before a prison officer is murdered on duty".

Police do not consider the most recent attack a terrorist incident but Mr Jenrick wants "highly-trained teams" to be armed to tackle the threat posed by extremists and dangerous criminals. His plan is based on recommendations from counter-terrorism expert and former prison governor Ian Acheson. Mr Jenrick commissioned a "rapid review" into prison violence.

There is rising concern about the dangers faced by prison officers. Southport killer Axel Rudakubana reportedly threw scorching water over a guard at HMP Belmarsh. This followed an attack by Manchester Arena terrorist Hashem Abedi on staff at HMP Frankland.

Mr Jenrick wants action to remove "radical Islamist" religious figures from prisons and for all pastoral officers to require counter-terror security clearance. He is pressing for the immediate roll-out of "high-collar stab vests" to frontline officers.

The Shadow Justice Secretary said: "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."

Calling for the Government to stop "pussy-footing", he said: "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."

Professor Ian Acheson said: "Too often what goes wrong behind the walls of our high security jails passes unnoticed, as does the bravery of the men and women in uniform who deal every day with terrorists and other highly dangerous offenders. Robert Jenrick is right - 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. Broken officers can't help fix broken people - or protect the public from violent extremism."

The POA last year warned of the danger of "total disaster" if a drone delivers "incendiary devices, a gun or ammunition". Inspectors warned in November that so many drones were delivering drugs to HMP Garth the high-security prison was "like an airport".

Mark Fairhurst, national chairman of the POA, said: "[We have] asked for stab proof vests and the tactical use of tasers within our high security prisons. We also think now is the right time to introduce supermax facilities for the most dangerous terrorist prisoners who are determined to commit atrocities and target staff.

"The time for words has now passed and we urgently need action before a Prison Officer is murdered on duty."

A Ministry of Justice source said: "The last Government added just 500 cells to our prison estate, and left our jails in total crisis. In 14 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."

A trial of tasers will be launched this summer. But the Government argues the introduction of "lethal weapons" into prisons environment would increase - not decrease - the risk to officers.

It has also commissioned a "snap review" which will report in the coming days on whether "protective body armour" should be worn more regularly. The Government says all chaplaincy roles already require "counter-terrorism clearance".

Andrea Coomber, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: "Recent attacks on prison staff have been horrifying, and this is why Jonathan Hall KC has been appointed to lead an independent review into the incident in the separation centre in Frankland.

"For the wider prison system, the answer is not more weapons. It is ensuring that prisons offer stable and productive regimes that get people out of their cells and into purposeful activities. This requires urgent action to address the overcrowding that has put jails under intolerable pressure.

"Sensible steps to reduce the prison population would save lives, protect staff and help more people to move on from crime."