HMP Long Lartin siege: Inmates take over high-security prison wing after attacking guards with pool balls

Specialist ‘Tornado’ team called in after about 20 prisoners cause staff to retreat

A general view of Long Lartin Prison near Evesham, in Worcestershire. (Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty)

Inmates took over a high-security prison wing after attacking guards with pool balls.

About 20 inmates at the Category A Long Lartin jail in Worcestershire caused staff to retreat from a wing while damaging part of the building on Tuesday evening.

Prison staff were attacked with pool balls and one officer went to hospital after being injured during the disturbance.

A specialist “Tornado” team of prison officers was called in to end the siege and restore order.

Earlier reports said about 70 inmates were involved.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said the incident had been “resolved” on Wednesday morning.

A Prison Service spokesperson added in a statement: “Our highly-skilled staff successfully resolved an incident at HMP Long Lartin early on Wednesday morning.

“We are working closely with the police and will push for the strongest possible punishment for those involved – including more time behind bars.”

The prisoners involved will now face prison adjudication hearings as well as a police investigation.

None of the prisoners at the jail were injured during the incident.

The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) said the disorder has “once again raised significant concerns about safety, order and control in our prisons”.

It added: “This is the latest of a number of incidents which show that the Prison Service is in crisis.

“On a daily basis prison officers must deal with concerted acts of indiscipline, violence, hostage taking, self-harm and deaths in custody.”

Steve Gillan, general secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA), added that the prison and probation service “now need to take stock of these recurring incidents and sit down with the POA and draw up an action plan that actually means something”.

HMP Long Lartin is one of five high-security “dispersal” establishments and holds some of the most dangerous offenders in the country.

The high-security prison has the capacity for 622 inmates and is believed to currently hold around 500.

According to a 2018 report into the prison following a serious disturbance involving 81 prisoners, about 75 per cent of the inmates were serving life sentences.

A quarter of all inmates were classed as Category A or high-security offenders.

Press Association contributed to this report.