Winchester prison staff 'almost lose control of yard'

BBC sources said the incident was the result of "perilously low" staffing levels

Prison staff came close to losing control of an exercise yard, the BBC has been told.

Inmates at HMP Winchester had to be locked in their cells while wardens gathered in the prison chapel following the incident on 27 February.

The Prison Service said the incident "was resolved swiftly" and there were no injuries to staff.

BBC sources blamed "perilously low" staffing levels and said staff had passed a no confidence vote in bosses.

Mark Fairhurst, national chair of the Prison Officers' Association (POA), said it was "a shame" that senior managers at the prison have not taken on board concerns raised by the staff "consistently" over the last few weeks.

"Ignoring concerns doesn't make them go away and it's just a shame it's come to this," he added.

The jail, which was mainly built in 1846, is a category B and C men's prison

Last October, a report by the prison's Independent Monitoring Board found during the pandemic HMP Winchester had high levels of violence and an "underlying volatile atmosphere".

The Ministry of Justice told the BBC the need for further strong action had been recognised and violence among prisoners had fallen significantly since the time covered by the report.

The Prison Service said the incident last week "was resolved swiftly at HMP Winchester by skilled prison officers".

It added: "We are committed to retaining staff and providing a safe environment for them the develop their careers.

"Governors at HMP Winchester are already introducing an enhanced overtime scheme while filling temporary vacancies from other prisons."

The service also said plans had been approved to improve staffing.