Three prisoners have been taken to hospital and an air ambulance was dispatched after disorder at a privately-run prison where 10 inmates have died in the past three months.
Security firm G4S, which runs HMP Parc in Bridgend, Wales, said there were two short-lived incidents at the prison on Friday, one of which involved 20 prisoners. The second incident, which was unrelated, involved an altercation between three prisoners, who required hospital treatment.
None of the injuries sustained by the prisoners were life threatening, G4S said. An air ambulance attended the prison but was not ultimately needed. No staff were injured in either incident.
A HMP Parc spokesperson said: “Staff at HMP Parc swiftly resolved two short-lived incidents involving prisoners on Friday, with no officers injured.
“Those involved will receive the strongest possible punishments, including criminal prosecution.”
On Wednesday, Warren Manners, 38, became the 10th prisoner to die at HMP Parc since 27 Feb. On Monday, before Manners’s death, families of inmates who died at HMP Parc demonstrated outside the prison.
In March, the prisons watchdog issued a warning about a high number of deaths at the prison.
The prisons and probation ombudsman, Adrian Usher, said in March that at least four of the then six deaths at the prison were drug-related.
Usher said: “Over the last few days, we confirmed that six deaths have occurred at HMP Parc in just under one month. I am saddened by this high number, and I offer my deepest condolences to those affected.
“Yesterday, we said that we are not making any assumptions as to whether there is a link between these deaths – however, after initial inquiries, we now believe at least four out of the six deaths are drug-related.
“These deaths likely involve spice, mixed with another family of drugs. There has been a national public health warning issued about this particular drug, the name of which is yet to be determined, but we believe that at least two of the deceased at HMP Parc had taken this substance. It is therefore likely the deaths are all spice-related.
“We urge all prisoners who are in possession of spice to dispose of it immediately. This is a dangerous drug and we do not want to see any more unnecessary deaths occur.”
Earlier this month, a prison staff member was arrested in connection with drug-dealing offences at HMP Parc. In March, three arrests were made in connection with suspected drug supply into the prison.
Deborah Coles, the director of the charity Inquest, which deals with deaths involving the state, said: “There have been 10 deaths at Parc prison in the last three months, the youngest person was just 19 years old. The level of death and disorder at prisons like this one shows a complete failure of accountability on the part of government and a loss of control by ministers. You can’t cage prisoners for 23 hours a day and not expect this kind of disorder to happen.”
