It seems six accomodation blocks at an open prison have been destroyed after inmates went on the rampage and started fires - allegedly over attempts to breathalyse them.
The riot, at HMP Ford near Arundel, West Sussex, began at around midnight.
It involved around 40 prisoners wearing balaclavas to protect their identities who smashed windows and activated fire alarms.
The inmates, led by men from B wing, set alight five blocks in the morning, with another three on fire by noon.
Staff were forced to retreat and specialist control and restraint teams and fire fighters were called in.
The riot was triggered after some prisoners refused to be breathalysed for alcohol, according to Mark Freeman, deputy general secretary of the Prison Officers Association.
Mr Freeman said a large amount of alcohol had been found in the jail and staff had been trying to get inmates to take a breath test for several days.
Reporters at the scene said plumes of smoke could be seen above the prison all morning.
The fires had destroyed six accomodation blocks, a mail room, a gym, a snooker room and a pool room with 10 new tables, they said.
The loss of the accomodation means about 160 inmates will have to be moved to other jails.
A Prison Service spokesman said: 'We can confirm that around 140 additional prison service staff have arrived at Ford to support the local staff in bringing the prison under full control'."
Comments
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Gym, Snooker room and pool room?
01.01.2011 23:20
I've got a job and I can't really afford this things. Its a complete piss take.
Given that they've burnt them, I guess that will mean they will go without from now on
Sadly, i fear that isn't true. This country is soft and pathetic - too much human rights bollox and socialism. If they've burnt them down, then don't rebuild them - otherwise you are just a complete laughing stock
Crazy mike
@Crazy Mike
02.01.2011 06:08
Britain has been turned into a corporate sweat shop. All those working pay income tax, national insurance, etc. Also, even those who are unemployed, sick, disabled or senior citizens [many of whom have worked and paid taxes for many years] are expected to pay VAT, TV Licenses, Parking Tickets, etc, etc.
Most people, apart from the criminals in expensive suits, are having a hard time now. Many of those in prison should not be there. It is only because parliament is churning out new laws by the thousands every year that almost everyone is breaking more than half a dozen laws as I write these words. So the police and other gov departments can pick and choose who they prosecute and what for.
When are we going to have a war crimes tribunal for Tony Blair and Gang... or do the police only pick on helpless students and old ladies these days?
Chew on that for a while.
Klamber
Agree with Klamber
02.01.2011 08:20
If the owner of a nursing home continues to employ a trusted worker after 2015 when registration with the ISA becomes mandatory if the ISA don't like what the police say about that worker they can refuse registration, the employer can then be sent to prison for 5 years.
A woman from Jamaica who has her children seriously threatened with murder unless she becomes a drug mule she is scum as well eh? What would any decent person do in that situation? I personally would do what I could to protect my children.
No doubt the asylum seekers who have narrowly escaped torment and death, many of whom are children deserve to be treated like shit as well? Just tell me those who think prisons should be far worse, what exactly would you do if you were being hunted by a mob of murderers? Try and escape (which often makes you a criminal in the UK) or just wait for them to come and kill you?
I don't know the answer to what we as a society do with those who prey on the weak, who make people's lives hell, the abusers, the rapists, of course those who mug old ladies and rape children need to be dealt with. I do know however that the legal system is not perfect and that many innocent people end up behind bars, many guilty walk the streets including the CEOs of multinationals who kill and maim, those who desecrate the environment and police officers who lie in court and fit people up.
Lynn Sawyer
The worm has turned
02.01.2011 11:50
I do - Put them in prison where they can't hurt the public any longer.
Its not a 100% solution but its better than anything else anyone has come up with.
We can all sit on the fence and say "well, i don't know, there must be a better way..."
But, there isn't. Nasty people don't listen to nice. They take advantage of it - thats why they are there in the first place!! Stop having this victim mentality
Anyway, my point was about the 1st class facilities that these prisoners get and how they decided it was a good idea to torch them because they were to be breathalysed to check for contraband alcohol.
To me, those don't sound like particular nice people as Lynn has conveyed. They sound like nasty people.
And, as one of the people who has to pay taxes to build them a new snooker hall, my point is "why?". Why not spend the money on something useful like better Dentists.
Its a complete waste of money to rebuild a snooker room if they felt fit to burn it down. There is better things to spend money on than a bunch of children who decided to throw their toys out of the pram. They've still got it good. If they want to play hardball - so be it.
Crazy Mike
Cesspit
02.01.2011 12:55
Re your when are we going to have Blair and co tried for war crimes! But, there won,t be any "...when", so forget it. Blair is apparently paid millions of £s by various Arab countries for his so-called advice he doles out to them. He's getting Millions! He and co are not deemed by all and sundry to be war criminals. War is a sure-fire money-making trend. I read that the International Court of Justice will try anybody for war crimes, no matter what official position they had and nor how rich they are. A fallacy, that! Riches are a 100% protector. And, moreover, there is class distinction globally, in every country of this world. The only ones who get prosecuted are those who don't kowtow to the globe's big bully boy rulers and their subservient henchmen. God, this world you created is but one titanic evil cesspit. Powered by greed, dominance, corruption, hypocrasy et al ! Even the ancient great Roman Empire suffered inflation, a huge downturn in its economy, its erstwhile hugely wealthy economy amassed from plundering the weak nations. The only escape from all this evil is death. Talking of war crimes, what about those who actually design and those who manufacture all the bullets, shells, rockets, weapons et al? Maybe they, too, are war criminals.
Francis Giles
Some-one get babymike a Waaaaambulance
02.01.2011 20:03
I love dead cops and judges
prison does not work
03.01.2011 00:29
most people who are inside are there without having harmed any living creature, and often because of crimes of poverty, like the women who are forced into acting as drugs mules to protect or provide for their kids.
others are there because of addictions which they robbed to feed, various kinds of fraud, or because they never learnt to settle a disagreement any other way than with violence.
prison is supposed to be a deterrent - stopping offenders from re-offending and stopping the rest of us from ever offending.
looked at recently or over the entire history of the existence of prisons, it is unarguable and proven fact that prison does not stop people from offending or re-offending. it has no positive effect on crime levels whatsoever.
On the other hand, with the exception of the 5% cited above which usually involved serious interpersonal violence such as rape or murder (a tiny minority in the prison system) research and practise shows that a combination of restorative justice and community service does prevent re-offending. crime prevention measures and better social service provision to families can prevent offending as well as re-offending. better education and childcare also helps. a huge proportion of the prison population grew up in care and/or is illiterate.
isn't it time we started looking at what actually works instead of what satisfies our desire for revenge when someone wrongs us by stealing our car stereo?
sane mike
@Crazy Mike
03.01.2011 10:02
If I was in prison and someone offered me brandy I wouldn't say no, nor would I passively do what the screws told me either.
Lynn Sawyer