Prison officer stabbed with 'home made weapon'

An investigation is underway after a prison officer was stabbed at HMP Nottingham. The incident happened on Sunday July 28 after officers were warned an inmate had "fashioned a home-made weapon."

The officers responded to the reports by searching the man's room, according to the Prison Officer Association.

While conducting the search one of the officers was injured. He is understood to have suffered a 2-3mm puncture wound in his stomach and a cut to his arm following "a scuffle".

Andy Baxter, the elected Prison Officer Association official for the Midlands region, said: "There was an incident on Sunday inside Nottingham Prison. The injured officer was taken to A&E for medical treatment. He is now resting at home."

The Ministry of Justice confirmed the incident had taken place. A spokesman said:

The latest incident comes after data released by the Ministry of Justice showed there were at least 69 serious assaults resulting in injuries against staff at all prisons in Nottinghamshire in 2018.

At Nottingham Prison there were seven cases of black eyes, 11 cuts needing stitching and eight assaults where staff were badly bruised.

The 69 serious assaults resulting in injury recorded across Nottinghamshire is down from 110 the year before but up from 68 in 2016, when comparable records began.

Now the Ministry of Justice is handing out body worn cameras to prison staff and incapacitant spray to protect them from further attacks.