HMP Stocken prison officer injured as inmates riot

Fires were lit and a wing was damaged at HMP Stocken in Rutland

A prison officer has been injured in a riot involving about 60 prisoners, the Ministry of Justice has said.

All 120 prisoners on a wing at HMP Stocken in Rutland are being moved to other parts of the jail or other prisons.

Prison sources said the trouble started at about 17:30 BST on Sunday when an inmate assaulted a prison officer.

Riot squad units were called in after prisoners became "disorderly" and started lighting fires in bins.

The injured officer is in hospital being treated for cuts to his face.

Specially trained prison officers were called in around 23:00 and the situation was brought under control in the early hours of Monday.

Thirty prisoners were immediately transferred to other high-security jails. The remaining 90 inmates are due to be moved later.

'Serious indiscipline'

The Prison Officers Association (POA) said they believed more than 100 prisoners had been involved and there had been "substantial damage to the wing".

Two other officers at the Category C prison were treated for the effects of inhaling smoke.

Four prisoners remain in hospital.

The Ministry of Justice has described the episode as a "serious incident of indiscipline".

"This kind of behaviour is totally unacceptable," a spokesman said.

"We are absolutely clear that prisoners who behave in this way will be punished and can spend significantly longer behind bars. Those suspected of being actively involved have already been moved to higher security prisons."

The POA praised the prison's officers for their professionalism and bringing the riot to a "swift end".

A representative said the union now awaited the outcome of an investigation into what started the disorder.

They said: "Cuts have consequences and incidents are on the increase."