HMP Nottingham officer injured by 'home-fashioned shank'

An Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB) report said HMP Nottingham had a problem with violence and drugs

A prison officer was attacked by an inmate at HMP Nottingham with a "home-fashioned shank".

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirmed the officer was treated in hospital after being attacked on Sunday and has since been discharged.

The Professional Trades Union for Prison, Correctional and Secure Psychiatric Workers (POA) said it was a "very worrying assault".

Andy Baxter, from the union, said the prisoner caused a "puncture wound".

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Mr Baxter said staff had been told by other prisoners an inmate had a "homemade weapon", leading to his cell being searched by a group of officers.

"There was a stand-off, [and] they informed him of the procedures involved in the search, at which point he withdrew the home-fashioned shank from his waistband and started lunging towards the officers," he said.

"It was obvious there was intent from the prisoner to cause significant injury."

One of the officers who entered the cell suffered a cut to his arm and a "puncture wound to his stomach" that was 2-3mm deep, Mr Baxter said.

He added the injured officer was later "in reasonable spirits".

An MoJ spokesman said: "We do not tolerate attacks on staff and police are now investigating."

The category B prison is situated just north of the city centre and holds about 1,060 inmates

A Category B prison, HMP Nottingham was described as being in a "dangerous" state by the Chief Inspector of Prisons in 2018, with the then-Justice Secretary issuing an urgent notification letter demanding immediate improvements.

It was one of 10 prisons highlighted by former prisons minister Rory Stewart in a speech last August where he said he would resign if they failed to get better.