BUDGET cuts and chronic staff shortages in British prisons will lead to deaths unless urgent action is taken, the Prison Officers Association said yesterday.

The stark warning came as reports emerged of a second serious incident in the space of a week at HMP Swaleside in Kent.

Three inmates are said to have been involved in a disturbance on Wednesday night that left one individual requiring hospital treatment.

The disorder comes after a separate incident last Friday night at the Category B prison, in which an officer suffered facial injuries and was treated in hospital.

Specialist staff had to be drafted in to deal with that disturbance, which the Prison Service said was confined to one wing and involved two inmates.

On last night’s trouble, a Prison Service spokesman said: “Due to the robust and effective action of staff, an incident at HMP Swaleside has now been resolved.

“Three prisoners were involved. One is being treated in hospital and two are being assessed for medical treatment.”

Prison Officers Association general secretary Steve Gillan told the Star that the incident on Friday had been a horrific attack on a member of staff.

Mr Gillan pointed out that since the budget cuts had been announced there had been an alarming 37 per cent increase in serious assaults on staff.

“Understaffing has to be a contributing factor,” he said.

“If [Justice Secretary] Chris Grayling believes otherwise he is sadly mistaken. He is putting lives at risk.

“These were horrendous injuries suffered by this officer and I am afraid that unless the budget cuts are arrested and there is a complete re-think we will be talking about the death of an officer. All the warning signs are there.”

Last month a report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons found that Swaleside was seriously affected by understaffing and said that the Prison Service nationally needed to take urgent steps to maintain appropriate staffing levels.

The Prison Reform Trust said the report revealed “the painful toll drastic cuts and rushed policy decisions” were taking on prison staff and also on efforts for resettlement and rehabilitation.

paddym@peoples-press.com