Summary

  • Officers regain control of prison

  • Specialist police teams take back all four wings at HMP Birmingham

  • Injured prisoner earlier 'retrieved' from jail and is conscious

  • Inmates contact BBC blaming 'poor conditions' for violence

  1. HMP Birmingham: Prison vans arrive at the jailpublished at 17:50 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    Ben Godfrey
    BBC Midlands Today

    I'm outside HMP Birmingham and I've seen at least six prison vans arrive in past half hour.  

    Prison

    The G4S have said they've handed control to the Prison Service with "immediate effect".

  2. HMP Birmingham: Scene inside the prisonpublished at 17:45 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    Hundreds of inmates in Birmingham are thought to be involved in a prison disturbance. 

    Trouble at the Birmingham jail, which started at 09:00, has spread to four wings. 

    Reinforcements have been sent in along with dog teams and ambulances.

    Prisoners have been Tweeting images from inside the jail, which is run by the private company G4S. The photos have not been verified by the BBC.

    InmatesImage source, Other
  3. Police respond to prison disturbancepublished at 17:39 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    Police carrying riot shields have been filmed arriving at HMP Birmingham where a disturbance by inmates has spread to four wings.

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  4. HMP Birmingham: Facts and historypublished at 17:30 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    The prison, which is in the Winson Green area of Birmingham, was built more than 150 years ago.

    HMP Birmingham
  5. HMP Birmingham: 'Perimeter is secure'published at 17:17 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    A disturbance at HMP Birmingham has spread to four wings of the prison - trouble first broke out in the jail at 09:00

    Prison

    A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "The Prison Service is managing the ongoing incident at HMP Birmingham. 

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

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

  6. HMP Birmingham: G4S hand control to Prison Servicepublished at 17:14 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016
    Breaking

    The G4S managing director for custodial and detention services, Jerry Petherick, has said they are handing over control of the ongoing trouble at HMP Birmingham to the Prison Service with "immediate effect".

    "Our command team remains on site and our staff will be actively involved in the recovery of the affected wings."

  7. HMP Birmingham: Disturbances are 'hugely concerning'published at 16:53 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    Shadow justice secretary, Richard Burgon, said the disturbances at the Birmingham jail are "hugely concerning". 

    The Labour MP added: "It must be hoped that order can be swiftly and peacefully restored."

    HMP Birmingham
  8. Watch: Specialist unit brought into HMP Birminghampublished at 16:35 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    A specialist unit, known as the "Tornado team", has been brought into HMP Birmingham.

    Trouble flared in the prison at 09:00 this morning and there are reports prisoners now control four wings of the prison.

    Media caption,

    Prison teams arrive at HMP Birmingham in Winson Green

  9. HMP Birmingham: Why the riots beganpublished at 16:20 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    HMP Birmingham in Winson Green has called in a specialist national team to restore control at four wings which are in lock-down. 

    The prison, which is run by the company G4S, holds more than 1400 convicts. 

    One man - who wishes to remain anonymous - spoke to the BBC about what he heard about the cause of the trouble.

    He was waiting for his son to be released from the prison. 

    Quote Message

    The riots started over the lack of hot water for prison inmates - then a prison officer was called to the scene and he was threatened with a syringe and keys were stolen which led to ultimately to a full-scale riot, which has obviously led to all the incidents that have happened today."

    Anonymous relative of prisoner

  10. HMP Birmingham: Reinforcements brought inpublished at 16:05 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016
    Breaking

    Monica Rimmer
    Journalist, BBC Online

    The BBC understands HMP Birmingham will bring in extra officers from Oakwood and Rye Hill to help control the trouble at HMP Birmingham.

    Prisoners have control of four wings after trouble started at 09:00 this morning. 

  11. HMP Birmingham: 'Canine units' and 'helicopter' in attendancepublished at 15:29 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016
    Breaking

    The disturbance at HMP Birmingham in Winston Green is ongoing. The trouble started at around 09:00 this morning. 

    G4S, who run the prison have said they are "continuing to respond to the incident". 

    Staff enter prisonImage source, PA/Richard Vernalls

    G4S confirmed that they initially sealed off two wings, which included some administrative offices but said despite this the disturbance has since spread to two further wings. 

    All staff have been accounted for, the company say.

    Quote Message

    Additional officers have arrived on site and we have deployed canine units within the prison. West Midlands Police helicopter is also in attendance. We are working with colleagues across the service to bring this disturbance to a safe conclusion."

    Jerry Petherick, Managing director for G4S

  12. HMP Birmingham: Hazardous area response team at jailpublished at 15:13 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    A spokesman for the West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed they were called to the prison at 12:23. 

    He said they currently have a hazardous area response team there, together with an ambulance and paramedic area support officer.

    They added no more details are available about any casualties or injuries suffered.

    Fire engines

    Prison staff have withdrawn from two wings at HMP Birmingham after prison keys were stolen when an officer was "rushed" by inmates.  

  13. Latest: Man,101, guilty of sex offences; prison disturbance spreads; rise in homeless familiespublished at 14:59 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    BBC WM

    Here are some of the stories we are looking at:

    - A 101-year-old man is found guilty of historical sex offences committed in the 1970s and 80s

    - Disturbances involving prisoners at a jail in Birmingham may have spread to another two wings

    - The number of families living in temporary accommodation for more than six weeks has jumped in the past year

  14. HMP Birmingham: 'Stark warning to the Ministry of Justice' says Prison Officers Associationpublished at 14:48 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    The national chairman of the Prison Officers Association, Mike Rolfe, said the "serious incident" at HMP Birmingham is "another stark warning to the Ministry of Justice that the service is in crisis". 

    Quote Message

    National resources have been deployed to deal with this incident involving approximately 300 prisoners within two prison wings. No staff injuries have been reported and staff are currently monitoring the situation and awaiting national support, through mutual aid."

    Mike Rolfe, Prison Officers Association

  15. HMP Birmingham: Trouble spreads to more wingspublished at 14:37 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016
    Breaking

    A disturbance by prisoners at HMP Birmingham has spread to two further wings, according to Press Association sources. 

    Two wings at the jail have already been sealed off after prison keys were stolen when an officer was "rushed" by inmates.

  16. HMP Birmingham: Wings sealed offpublished at 14:25 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    All prison officers have been accounted for at HMP Birmingham and wings N and P are currently sealed off, according to the Press Association.

    Prison staff have withdrawn from the two wings after prison keys were stolen when an officer was "rushed" by inmates. 

  17. HMP Birmingham: Tornado team are insidepublished at 14:13 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    Prison academic Alex Cavendish says a specialist unit know as the "Tornado team" are now inside and the prison staff have 'withdrawn' from the prison. 

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  18. HMP Birmingham: The story so farpublished at 14:01 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    Monica Rimmer
    Journalist, BBC Online

    • Prison staff have withdrawn from two wings, N and P
    • Police and the fire service are on site   
    • Prison staff now awaiting reinforcements in the form of a specialist unit know as the "Toirnado Team"
    Fire engineImage source, MATHEW WHITEHOUSE
    • An "inside informant" has told a Press Association (PA) contact the trouble started with lights being broken and inmates controlling fire hoses 
    • Inmates have since gained access to the offender management unit, according to PA  
    • They are said to be burning paper records and throwing computers out of the window
    • The Category B prison, which is run by the private company G4S, holds 1450 inmates
  19. Man, 101, guilty of child sex offencespublished at 13:48 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    Man, 101, thought to be oldest defendant in British legal history, is guilty of 30 sex offences.

    Read More
  20. HMP Birmingham: Inmates are 'throwing computers' and 'destroying records'published at 13:43 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2016

    More details on how the ongoing disturbance at HMP Birmingham started are coming to light.

    HMP Birmingham

    An "inside informant" has told prison blogger Alex Cavendish, the trouble started with lights being broken and inmates controlling fire hoses.

    "While one of the officers was putting a prisoner in the cell he was threatened with what appeared to be a used syringe." 

    Mr Cavendish told the Press Association that while this officer was distracted by the threat, "another inmate came up behind, snatched the keys from his belt and snapped the security chain". 

    Inmates have since gained access to the offender management unit (OMU)  and are burning their paper records and throwing computers out of the window, Mr Cavendish claims.