Wetherby youth prison told to reduce violent attacks

The prison watchdog said reducing violent attacks at HMYOI Wetherby should be a priority

A prison watchdog has said there are "concerning" levels of violence at a young offenders institute near Leeds.

Inspectors found a "significant increase" in the severity of violence between boys at HMYOI Wetherby.

A report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons said officers had been punched and kicked repeatedly in the face and gangs of boys had attacked each other with weapons.

The watchdog said reducing the number of assaults should be a priority.

However, it added relationships between staff and prisoners was a strength and the site was resilient and well-led.

Michael Spurr from the National Offender Management Service said: "As the Inspectorate report makes clear, Wetherby manages a complex and challenging population.

"Tackling violence and providing a safe environment is the governor's top priority and we will use the recommendations in the report to support this work."

HMYOI Wetherby is a closed facility for up to 276 boys under the age of 18.

An inspection in January found there were 212 violent acts recorded in the previous six months, compared to 192 at its previous inspection in January 2014.