Prison riot in Chelmsford puts staff in hospital

A "zero tolerance approach to violence" is in place at Chelmsford Prison, a spokesman said

A prison riot left six members of staff needing hospital treatment, the BBC has learned.

Twenty prisoners were involved in a number of fights on 2 December at HM Prison Chelmsford in Essex.

Half of them were transferred out of the prison as a result, the Ministry of Justice said. It is understood they were moved with the help of specialist riot officers, called a "tornado team".

Seven fights broke out at about 17:20 GMT, injuring eight prison officers.

CCTV will be reviewed to identify the prisoners and an investigation will take place, according to an internal report.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said the disturbance was confined to one wing and was quickly resolved.

Boiling water

"We take a zero tolerance approach to violence in our prisons. Following this incident, 10 prisoners were transferred out of Chelmsford and moved to other establishments," he said.

The BBC understands the injuries sustained by the prison officers were not life threatening.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said there was a a "zero tolerance approach to violence"

In September, a former prisoner claimed inmates' lives could be at stake because of increasing levels of violence at the jail.

The man, who served two sentences at Chelmsford Prison, said he saw inmates pouring boiling water on each other.

Last year, concerns were raised about high levels of self-harm and seven suicides at Chelmsford since 2011.

In November, the Ministry of Justice announced a number of prison staff were facing disciplinary action over claims a Chelmsford prisoner had sex during a hospital visit.