Protective gear review for prison guards after Manchester bomb plotter attack

The Prison Service will investigate whether frontline staff should be given protective body armour following an attack on officers at HMP Frankland, the Justice Secretary has said.

The guards were attacked with hot oil and homemade weapons at the jail in County Durham on Saturday by Manchester bomb plotter Hashem Abedi.

Four prison officers were injured during the incident, with three sustaining serious injuries and taken to hospital, Counter Terrorism Policing North East said on Thursday.

One officer remains in hospital.

The Ministry of Justice has pledged to carry out a review following the incident, but the further announcement comes as union bosses have been calling for officers to be given stab vests and protective equipment after the incident shows “how dangerous our job is”.

The Ministry of Justice has also suspended access to kitchens in separation units in prisons, where the attack is believed to have taken place in Frankland.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “I share the country’s shock and anger at the attack on our prison officers at HMP Frankland last weekend.

“It is clear there are further questions to answer, and more that must be done.

“For that reason, we are carrying out an independent review into these events.

“This will look into how this was able to happen, and what we must do to better protect our prison officers in the future.

“This review will look specifically at this attack, but also more widely at how separation centres are run.”

The Lord Chancellor added: “The Prison Service will also conduct a snap review into whether protective body armour should be made available to frontline staff.”

The probe is expected to report back its findings in the next few months.

Ms Mahmood also said there will be an audit on carrying out 230 recommendations from 19 reviews looking at extremism in prisons.

“I know full well the dangers of the warped ideology of Islamist extremists.

“I will not tolerate it within our prisons.

“Wherever I find there is opportunity to strengthen our defences and better protect our staff and the public, I will do so.”

A chairperson to lead the independent review is yet to be appointed.

Published: 17/04/2025 by Radio NewsHub