Riot police descend on prison as inmates ’take control of TWO WINGS’ at HMP The Mount
RIOT officers are battling to regain control of at least one wing of a prison in Hertfordshire.
Trained prison staff arrive at HMP The Mount
Violent unrest broke out at HMP The Mount earlier today before prisoners reportedly took over two wings.
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Justice said: "Specially trained staff are working to resolve an incident involving a number of prisoners at HMP The Mount.
"The prison is completely secure and there is no risk to the public."
Riot police at HMP The Mount
The large-scale disturbance, which started at 2pm, comes just two days following a warning that trouble was "brewing" amid staff shortages and a lockdown at the category C prison which holds more than 1,000 inmates.
Police and ambulances were also called to the prison, but it was unclear whether anyone was injured.
In a list released last week, the Ministry of Justice gave the prison a rating of two and listed its performance as a "concern".
Inmates are said to have possibly taken over two wings of the prison
Prison affairs academic and blogger Alex Cavendish, of Prison UK, said two wings, housing a total of 227 prisoners, were out of control.
He said he had been told the regime has seen inmates locked up for 24 hours a day in some cases, and food delivered cold to cell doors.
He tweeted: "HMP The Mount: inside sources state staff have lost control of at least one wing, possibly two. This is attributed to staff shortages.
Police have been called to HMP The Mount
Prisoners are believed to have taken over two wings of HMP The Mount
"HMP The Mount has been running on very restricted regime for weeks. Food served cold at cell doors. Hearing nearly 50 staff short."
He said so-called Tornado squads, equipped to deal with riots, had been sent in.
He wrote: "Tornado Teams called in to take back control of two wings. This has been a disaster waiting to happen as I warned last week."
The facility is described as a "hybrid training and resettlement prison" which caters for a number of prisoners nearing the end of their sentences who are residents of the county and nearby areas.