A JUDGE ordered prison guards to ditch their protests against lousy pay and riot-ridden jails as the Star went to press last night.

The Ministry of Justice had sought a High Court injunction after the Prison Officers’ Association instructed members to withdraw from all “voluntary” duties from today.

The union had argued that the government had refused to adequately address its concerns over pay, violence and understaffing.

A POA circular said guards should pull out of riot control, first aid and hostage negotiation among other duties.

POA chair Mike Rolfe and general secretary Steve Gillan warned members that the government would “continue to ignore the real issues of staff safety, pay and conditions.”

But as the Star went to press last night, the High Court endorsed the government’s claim that such action would be illegal.

“It seems to me that the evidence indicates the proposed action constitutes industrial action,” Mr Justice Leggatt said.

He added that “the balance of convenience favours granting of an injunction in these circumstances.”

The union said the government’s recent attempt to give pay bonuses to staff in 31 under-pressure jails in the south-east was “divisive.”

Prison pay rises are recommended by an independent review body, but it has repeatedly accepted the government’s stingy 1 per cent cap.

Prisons minister Sam Gyimah had said in the Commons yesterday morning that the action would be “unlawful,” saying the “duties the POA refer to in their bulletin are not voluntary duties, but form a fundamental part of a prison officer’s role to run a safe and decent prison.”

Serious assaults in Britain’s jails are up from 1,410 in 2010 to 3,372 last year.

In the same period prison officer numbers have declined by more than 7,000. Justice Secretary Liz Truss promised a recruitment drive after a series of prison riots last year, but the most recent figures showed that officer numbers have declined even further.

Labour shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon told MPs: “The minister said this morning he has the chair of the POA on speed dial, and if he’s dialling, it’s clear that he’s not connecting.

“The situation could easily have been avoided.

Ministers could have spoken to the POA before imposing a pay policy that’s proven to be so divisive and so unpopular.”

Mr Gyimah prompted guffaws from fellow MPs when he admitted that he would not even commit to the pay rise due to be recommended by the independent review.

“You cannot ask me to commit to results I do not know about, at the dispatch box,” he said.

The minister also caused confusion when he told a Commons committee that prisons would not be ranked on league tables as promised in the government’s reform programme.

But a statement was subsequently issued saying he had been incorrect in his committee appearance.

“The minister made clear that inspection reports and performance agreements will drive our intervention, not league tables,” an MoJ spokesman said.

“We want prison performance to be transparent and will publish league tables.”

Prison officers were banned from striking in 1994.