Prison violence 'out of control' - as five prison officers injured in three separate attacks

Recent escalating prison violence has been described as "out of control" by a union boss amid three separate attacks which have left five officers injured.

Steve Gillan, general secretary of the Prison Officers Association (POA), has called for action to protect jail workers "before there is a fatality". The POA detailed two separate incidents at Woodhill prison in Milton Keynes.

Geoff Willetts, of the POA, said one prison officer was assaulted and injured by an inmate detained under the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008. In another incident at the jail, a prisoner lashed out after being ordered to return to his cell.

Mr Willetts said a specialist officer was slashed with an improvised weapon and sustained injuries to the neck and ear. The officer attended hospital, where stitches and surgical glue were applied to their injuries.

Thames Valley Police said it was aware of one incident and was investigating the alleged assault of a prison officer on Tuesday. Meanwhile, at Gartree prison in Market Harborough, staff attended a medical emergency where an inmate reportedly faked an epileptic fit.

Mr Willetts said a male prison officer was assaulted before having a TV thrown at him, while a female officer suffered a broken arm. A HMPPS (HM Prison and Probation Service) spokesperson confirmed that four HMP Woodhill officers were treated in hospital on Tuesday following two incidents.

All were discharged later the same day, the service said in a statement. Protective body armour and tasers are among the options being considered by the Lord Chancellor to help prison staff cope with serious incidents, the statement said.

Alongside these three attacks, Southport triple killer Axel Rudakubana was also recently accused of attacking a prison officer with boiling water at HMP Belmarsh in London. Mr Gillan said: "Escalating levels of violence are out of control in the prison service in England and Wales.

"It appears that HMPPS have learned nothing. They continue to ignore the calls from our members on the frontline for urgent action to protect prison officers from violence." Read more from Sky News:Inside the UK's broken prison systemMinister does not rule out US-style 'supermax' jails for most dangerous offenders Meanwhile, men's prisons in England and Wales could run out of space later this year, the government has warned, as it announced three new jails costing a total of £4.7bn will be built starting this year.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood revealed the expansion plans in Downing Street alongside Amy Rees, the outgoing chief executive of His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). Ms Rees outlined how the male prison population was at 99% capacity and set to run out of room in November.

To relieve the pressure on prisons in the interim, the government said it was going to limit recall conditions for some inmates. This includes prisoners serving up to four years only being subject to recall periods of 28 days, although repeat offenders and those at higher risk will not be eligible for the limit.

Mr Gillan added: "It is clear prison regimes must be reviewed as a matter of urgency. We need action to protect prison officers before there is a fatality.

"My thoughts are with the prison officers who have been injured. The POA will offer them our full support." Sky News has contacted the Ministry of Justice for comment..