'It was a powder keg waiting to explode'

They spoke out after details emerged of a serious disturbance at Deerbolt Young Offenders' Institution, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, over the weekend which left one prison officer with serious injuries.

The Prison Service said a full investigation had been launched, but pointed out Deerbolt was not under-resourced or under- staffed when the riot took place.

However, Steve Cox, national vice chairman of the Prison Officers' Association, claimed:

* managers failed to act on data collected by officers that showed increasing tensions pointing to a disturbance on the prison's D-wing;

* only three prison officers were left in charge of 66 inmates after an alert elsewhere in the building;

* out-manned officers were forced to retreat when inmates on D-wing began fighting;

* during the disturbance, one prison officer suffered a fractured skull;

* three other prison staff needed hospital treatment;

* thousands of pounds of damage was caused to D-wing during a wrecking spree that went on for 11 hours.

Mr Cox said management was informed of a build-up in tension on the wing more than a week ago but paid no attention.

He said that data collected by the officers detailing trends in inmates' behavior pointed to a potential disturbance on D-wing, where the trouble took place.

Only three officers were left in charge of 66 inmates on D-wing after an alarm bell sounded on another wing, drawing officers to elsewhere in the prison.

At about 2.30pm, a prisoner started attacking an officer, and soon more staff and inmates became involved.

Officers were forced to retreat, leaving 40 prisoners to wreak havoc inside.

The officer who sustained a fractured skull, is married with two children and is said to be making a full recovery having been discharged from hospital.

"Staff are angry and frustrated with the attempted whitewash by management to absolve them from any responsibility for the incident," said Mr Cox.

"There is a lot of anger directed at local management for the failings to take heed of the warnings given by experienced operational staff.

"All the intelligence gathered indicated that this wing was a potential time bomb.

"Our members are being put in harm's way by a management team who believe they know better than officers who have 30 or 35 years' experience."

The prison governor, Debra Baldwin, was contacted last night but was unable to comment.

Several prisoners were moved out of the prison following Sunday's trouble, which was finally brought under control at about 1am on Monday.

A spokesman from the Prison Service said: "A full investigation into the incident has been launched by outside managers. The prison was within its operational capacity and was not under-resourced or under- manned as was claimed.

"There is a police investigation into the disturbance, so while this is going on it would be inappropriate to comment any further."

Police are still questioning those involved in the disturbance with a view to bringing about criminal charges.

The damage has been estimated at several hundred thousand pounds, but a source said it was too early to put an exact price on the cost of repairs.

Do you know anyone inside Deerbolt? Who or what is to blame for the incidents? Contact the newsdesk on 01325-505065.