Two inquiries will be held into the New Year's Day riot at the low-security Ford prison in southern England and prisoners involved could face charges, the British government said today.
Rioting prisoners torched several buildings during 22 hours of mayhem at Ford men's prison near Arundel, West Sussex, yesterday that only ended when scores of riot officers were brought in.
The British ministry of justice said there were no "significant injuries" during the riot that began around midnight on New Year's Eve after prison guards attempted to breathalyse inmates suspected of drinking smuggled-in alcohol.
Prisons minister Crispin Blunt said after visiting the prison today that prisoners' communal facilities, including a gymnasium and mailroom, had been largely destroyed by fire. An accommodation building was also set ablaze.
"There are now going to be two inquiries. There will be a prison service internal inquiry and there will be a number of issues which will have to be addressed and examined in the course of that," Mr Blunt told reporters at the prison.
"I also anticipate that there will be a police inquiry into the events which could then lead to criminal prosecutions," he said.
The prison guards' union has said only a handful of staff were on duty at Ford at night to supervise hundreds of prisoners.
The prison fficers' association said the riot highlighted the risks of British government plans to slash spending on the justice system.
But Mr Blunt said it was unprecedented for a riot to break out at an "open prison" like Ford, where security measures are light and inmates are trusted to behave themselves.
"We must learn the lessons to make sure it does not recur," he said.
Agencies