120 Prisoners Involved In HMP Ranby Disturbance

27 July 2014, 06:02 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A serious incident at Ranby jail in Nottinghamshire has come to an end, after 120 inmates refused to go back to cells.

It comes just days after an inspection called the prison dirty, violent and unsafe.

The Prison Officers' Association (POA) said a fire was started during the incident at HMP Ranby in Nottinghamshire.

The disturbance is ongoing.

A spokesman for the Prison Service said minor damage was sustained and there were no injuries to staff or prisoners.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Nick Hardwick said HMP Ranby was ''in crisis'' after the publication of a report on Thursday which described the prison as unsafe with high levels of violence.

Glyn Travis, assistant secretary of the POA, said: "There is a serious incident at HMP Ranby.

"At around 12.30pm 120 prisoners refused to return to their cells. They have taken control of a unit.

"We have got national resources at the prison trying to establish a surrender plan.

"We know 60 prisoners have been actively involved.''

He said the inmates started a fire which was quickly put under control.

A Prison Service spokesman said: "A disturbance involving between 30 and 60 prisoners at HMP Ranby started on one wing at around midday on 26 July.

"Minor damage has been sustained and there have been no injuries to staff or prisoners.

"Prison staff are being deployed to resolve the incident safely.''

A critical report on HMP Ranby was released following an 11-day inspection by HM Inspectorate of Prisons.

It found that two prisoners died through ''self-inflicted deaths'' last year, and a further two have died in a similar way since the unannounced inspection in March.

Conditions in part of the prison, which holds more than 1,000 men, were dirty, prisoners were found to have climbed netting in a bid to force a transfer to another facility and nearly half the population said they had felt unsafe having been victimised or intimidated, findings showed.

Evidence was found of an increasing number of incidences of self-harm at the category C training prison, and the availability of legal highs was also found to have increased.

Mr Travis said today's disturbance was "no surprise'' to the POA.

"It's all down to chronic staff shortfalls and a management that are hell-bent on delivering things they can't deliver safely,'' he said.

"Prisoners are saying 'We're not dealing with this'.

"They will react.''