The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) will demand the use of electric stun guns in the UK’s most dangerous jails when it meets with the Justice Secretary on Wednesday
It comes after an attack by Hashem Abedi(Image: PA)
Prison officers are urging the Justice Secretary to permit the use of electric stun guns in the UK’s most dangerous prisons.
Mark Fairhurst, the national chairman of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA), said they will put forward the demand when they meet with Shabana Mahmood on Wednesday.
This meeting comes after guards were attacked with hot oil and homemade weapons by Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi at HMP Frankland earlier this month.
Mr Fairhurst told BBC: “When we face life-threatening situations, we no longer have tactical options,” adding officers needed more options if extendable batons and synthetic pepper spray fail to deal with a situation.
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“We want specially trained staff on site who respond to incidents with the ability to deploy Taser to neutralise that threat.”
The Prison Service said it will investigate whether frontline staff should be given protective body armour following Abedi’s attack earlier this month when four officers were injured.
Abedi attacked guards at HMP Frankland(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
The Ministry of Justice has pledged to carry out a review following the incident also suspended access to kitchens in separation units in prisons, where the attack is believed to have taken place in Frankland.
The Ministry of Justice has pledged to carry out a review following the incident also suspended access to kitchens in separation units in prisons, where the attack is believed to have taken place in Frankland.
Ms Mahmood said: “It is clear there are further questions to answer, and more that must be done.
“This will look into how this was able to happen, and what we must do to better protect our prison officers in the future.
“This review will look specifically at this attack, but also more widely at how separation centres are run.”
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