Two separate investigations to be held in New Year's jail riot

London:  Two separate investigations will be held into the New Year's Day riot at Ford open prison where balaclava-clad inmates torched buildings in protest at a clampdown on illegal drinking.

The prisons minister, Crispin Blunt, confirmed yesterday there would be both an internal Prison Service inquiry and a police inquiry into the violence, which is estimated to have caused about £3 million (Dh17.20 million) damage.

Twenty-three inmates have been dispersed to secure prisons across the country after accommodation blocks, a gymnasium, a mail room and recreation room with 10 newly installed pool tables were destroyed in the blaze.

The disturbances began in the early hours of New Year's Day after staff attempted to test prisoners for alcohol consumption. Around 40 inmates many disguised in balaclavas are believed to have taken part in the rampage.

Under control

The prison, near Arundel, in West Sussex, was brought back under control at 10pm on Saturday after riot control officers were sent in to protect the fire brigade as they extinguished the flames.

Speaking on Sky News, Blunt said the police inquiry could lead to criminal prosecutions as well as administrative punishments such as loss of sentence reductions for inmates.

The minister described the destruction as "unprecedented" and promised lessons would be learned to ensure there would be no repetition of the violence. He declined to comment on reports there were inadequate numbers of staff on duty on New Year's Eve.

Open prisons hold inmates nearing the end of their sentences prior to release and low-risk prisoners serving shorter jail terms.

The Prison Officers Association claimed that as few as two prison officers and four support staff were present at the time to manage a population of almost 500 inmates in Ford.

On Saturday Michael Spurr, chief executive of the National Offender Management Service, said the staffing levels were considered appropriate and played down the extent of the damage.

Rare

He said: "Although damage has been sustained to the prison, there has only been a minimal loss of accommodation. These types of incidents in open prisons are rare and it is to the credit of all the staff involved that no staff or prisoners sustained significant injuries

"Staffing levels at the prison at the time the incident began were risk-assessed and considered appropriate and usual for an open establishment such as Ford. A high-level investigation will commence immediately to ascertain the causes and circumstances surrounding the incident and those involved may be liable to criminal charges."

Mark Freeman, deputy general secretary of the Prison Officers' Association, said alcohol had been a concern at the jail for some time, with dozens of empty bottles found in recent days.

"In the early hours, staff tried to breathalyse a number of prisoners because they suspected they had been drinking," Freeman said.

"A total of 40 bottles of alcohol have been found empty. It's been a concern here for a long time about the amount of alcohol prisoners are able to get. When the prisoners refused to be breathalysed they became violent along with other prisoners and went on what we call a mutiny."