‘I thought I was going to die’: The epidemic of violence against prison officers

Published

2 years ago

February 9, 2024

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Violence against prison officers has soared since the pandemic with 23 attacks a day recorded last year across England and Wales.

A new report by the Community trade union, exclusively seen by Sky News, warns that without “major, generational reform… the epidemic of violence will only get worse”.

It is calling for all political parties to commit to a national strategy to reduce attacks on staff ahead of the next general election.

Political correspondent Amanda Akass has been speaking to one prison officer who suffered catastrophic injuries during an attack at work.

When Martin Geddes was ambushed by an inmate who stole his baton and beat him around the head – he thought he was going to die.

“He sucker punched me, grabbed me, pulled me into the cell and got hold of my baton. And that’s the last thing I remember until I came round with the cell full of officers and my friend thought my throat had been cut, because there was that much blood.

“I suffered a ten inch laceration to the back of my head requiring ten staples, and multiple other baton injuries to my head and body.” His attacker was convicted and sentenced to an indefinite hospital order.

Three years on, Martin still suffers from searing headaches- and says it’s had a catastrophic impact on his mental health.
“I was having flashbacks – for at least 12 months, before I had therapy.

“The flashbacks were 40 or 50 a day of the last image I remember, the inmate holding my baton fully extended above my head. I had suicidal thoughts. If it hadn’t been for my partner Alison I would have taken my own life. I just couldn’t cope.

“It was a job I loved doing but I would never go back. I’ve had to resign. I just don’t feel safe on the landing anymore.”

The number of prison officers facing attacks at work – across both public and private prisons – is rising rapidly. At the current rate it’s soon set to overtake the record numbers from just before the pandemic in 2018-19.

The latest government figures released in January show there were 8,516 assaults on prison officers in England and Wales over the 12 months to September 2023, an increase of 16% on the previous year – which works out at 23 attacks a day. Of those attacks 765 were categorised as serious. Attacks in women’s prisons meanwhile are at their highest ever level, with 785 during that same period.

The Community trade union, which represents thousands of staff at private prisons, has today published a report, exclusively seen by Sky News, which claims that without “major, generational reform of the sector, chronic overcrowding and the epidemic of violence against prison staff will only get worse”.

Co-author Kate Dearden, Community’s head of research, policy and politics, is calling for all political parties to commit to the development of a national plan to reduce assaults on staff in their manifestos ahead of the next general election.

She wants to see higher minimum staffing levels, swifter, stronger punishments for offenders, greater mental health support for those affected, and better pay to improve staffing levels. The union is also calling for measures to reduce overcrowding, such as a greater use of community sentences and electronic tagging.

She said: “It’s not right that people should have to risk their lives just going to work, with their families worried about if they’re going to come home.

“Action has to be taken to prevent and stamp out these assaults. It’s clear that we need a complete overhaul of our justice system to make sure that happens.”

In November, the prison population in England and Wales was 87,930, against an operational capacity of 88,924. More than 60% of prisons are officially overcrowded and holding more inmates than they are certified to.

While the government is committed to provide 20,000 new places by the mid 2020s, minister Edward Argar informed the Justice Select Committee this week that only 8,500 are set to be ready by May 2025. He blamed the delays on problems securing planning permission for new prisons.

In their Prisons Performance Tracker for 2023, the Institute for Government concluded that while the number of prison officers had grown by 1.3% over the past year, total staff numbers were still 10% lower than in 2010, and retention is “poor”.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “The overall rate of assaults on our hardworking prison staff is 10% lower than prior to the pandemic but violence is never tolerated which is why we increased the maximum penalty for assaulting prison officers.

“We have also invested £100m in tough security measures including X-ray body scanners to clamp down on the contraband that fuels violence behind bars.”

UK

Starmer urges anyone with information on Epstein case to come forward – after Andrew misses Congress deadline

Published

1 hour ago

November 23, 2025

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Deadline day for Andrew to respond to Epstein inquiry - but it's hard to imagine why he'd talk

Sir Keir Starmer has urged anyone with information on the Jeffrey Epstein case to come forward after Andrew Mountbatten Windsor missed the deadline to appear in front of US Congress.

US legislators have criticised Andrew for what they describe as “silence” amid their probe into Epstein after he failed to respond to their request for an interview.

When asked about Andrew missing the deadline and whether the former prince should help the case in any way he can, Sir Keir said on his way to the G20 summit in South Africa: “I don’t comment on this particular case.”

He added that “a general principle I’ve held for a very long time is that anybody who has got relevant information in relation to these kind of cases should give that evidence to those that need it”.

Andrew is not legally obliged to talk to Congress and has always vigorously denied any wrongdoing.

It comes as Marjorie Taylor Greene, a loyal supporter-turned-critic of US President Donald Trump, said on Friday she is resigning from Congress in January.

Ms Greene’s resignation followed a public falling-out with Mr Trump in recent months, as the congresswoman criticised him for his stance on files related to Epstein, as well as on foreign policy and healthcare.

Members of the House Oversight Committee had requested a “transcribed interview” with Andrew in connection with his “long-standing friendship” with Epstein, the paedophile financier who took his own life in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.

But after saying they had not heard back, Democrats Robert Garcia and Suhas Subramanyam accused Andrew of hiding.

Their statement read: “Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s silence in the face of the Oversight Democrat’s demand for testimony speaks volumes.

“The documents we’ve reviewed, along with public records and Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s testimony, raise serious questions he must answer, yet he continues to hide.

“Our work will move forward with or without him, and we will hold anyone who was involved in these crimes accountable, no matter their wealth, status, or political party. We will get justice for the survivors.”

It follows Andrew being stripped of his prince and Duke of York titles earlier this month.

He had previously agreed to stop using his titles, but had expected to remain a prince and retain his dukedom, ahead of the publication of the memoirs of the late Ms Giuffre, who had accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager – an accusation he denies.

UK

Girl, 13, arrested on suspicion of murdering woman in Swindon

Published

1 hour ago

November 23, 2025

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Girl, 13, arrested on suspicion of murdering woman in Swindon

A 13-year-old girl has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman in Swindon.

Police said the teenager was detained following an incident in Baydon Close, Moredon, in the Wiltshire town on Friday evening.

Officers responded to reports of disorder inside a house. When they arrived, a woman in her 50s living at the address was found to be not breathing. She was declared dead at the scene.

There were no other reported injuries.

Detective Inspector Darren Ambrose, from Wiltshire Police’s major crime investigation team, said: “This is a serious incident in which a woman has sadly died.

“We have set up a cordon at the address while an investigation is carried out.

“I can confirm that we have arrested a teenage girl in connection with this incident and we are not looking for anyone else.”

Police have asked people not to speculate about the incident online as this could prejudice the case.

A police statement read: “Residents can expect to see an increased police presence in the area while we continue carrying out our enquiries into the woman’s death.

“The suspect remains in custody at this time.”

Police said anyone with concerns should speak with their local neighbourhood policing team, either by emailing or approaching officers in person.

UK

Rail fares to be frozen for first time in 30 years

Published

1 hour ago

November 23, 2025

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Rail fares to be frozen for first time in 30 years

Rail fares are to be frozen for the first time in 30 years, the government has announced.

Ministers promised that millions of rail travellers will save hundreds of pounds on regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns between major cities.

The fare freeze applies to England and services run by English train operators.

People commuting to work three days a week using flexi-season tickets will save £315 a year travelling from Milton Keynes to London, £173 travelling from Woking to London and £57 from Bradford to Leeds, the government said.

The changes are part of Labour’s plans to rebuild a publicly owned Great British Railways. Other planned changes include tap in-tap out and digital ticketing, as well as investing in superfast Wi-Fi.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the government was introducing a freeze on rail fares for the first time in 30 years, which “will ease the pressure on household finances and make travelling to work, school or to visit friends and family that bit easier”.

“We all want to see cheaper rail travel, so we’re freezing fares to help millions of passengers save money,” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said.

“Commuters on more expensive routes will save more than £300 per year, meaning they keep more of their hard-earned cash.”

Rail unions and passenger groups welcomed the move, praising how it will make travel more affordable for passengers and promote more sustainable travel alternatives.

Eddie Dempsey, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said: “More affordable fares will encourage greater use of public transport, supporting jobs, giving a shot in the arm to local economies and helping to improve the environment.”

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said the rail fare freeze “will be a huge relief to working people”.

“This is the right decision, at the right time, to help passengers be able to afford to make that journey they need to take, and to help grow our railway in this country, because the railway is Britain’s green alternative – taking cars and lorries off our congested roads and moving people and goods safely around our country in an environmentally-friendly way,” Mick Whelan, general secretary of the train drivers union Aslef, said.

The Tories welcomed the move but said the government was “late to the platform”.

Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden said: “In government, the Conservatives kept fares on the right track with below-inflation rises and consistently called for no further hikes to protect hard-working commuters.”