Nottingham Prison inmate charged after officer's throat cut

The Prison Officers' Association said the 23-year-old officer was "lucky to be alive"

A man has been charged after a prison officer had his throat cut at HMP Nottingham.

Police were called at about 10:00 BST on Sunday after what union officials called an "unprovoked attack" by a prisoner with a razor blade.

The Ministry of Justice said the officer needed 17 stitches.

Michael McKenna, 25, has been charged with grievous bodily harm with intent, wounding with intent and a racially aggravated public order offence.

He will appear at Nottingham Magistrates' Court later.

Prison Officers' Association national chairman Mark Fairhurst said the prison officer was "lucky to be alive as it [the wound] was very close to the main artery on his neck."

He said the 23-year-old had been a new member of staff.

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HMP Nottingham is a category B male prison which expanded in 2010 to hold 1,060 prisoners.

Last year the government was ordered to make immediate improvements at the jail after a report warned it was in a "dangerous state".

The prison needed to do "much more" to tackle the problem of drugs which was "inextricably linked" to violence, chief inspector of prisons Peter Clarke said in his report.