THE prison officers’ annual conference drew to a close in Southport yesterday with a dramatic debate about violence in jails.

The Ministry of Justice’s executive director of high security prisons, Richard Vince, observed the session to hear concerns from front-line staff.

The delegates detailed a deluge of vicious attacks on officers including the gruesome practice of “potting” where inmates pour buckets of excrement over staff.

What delegates said

Feltham: “We need to be able to use pain-inducing techniques to restrain prisoners. We want Pava [incapacitant spray].  We’ve had minibuses turn up to take staff to hospital.”

Preston: “We have a baton on our belt but the restrictions on using it are so great that we don’t use it for fear of prosecution – because of the do-gooders out there.”

Belmarsh: “We’ve had 40 years of capitalist government favouring the employer over the employee. POA members are a lot less militant than they should be. The POA could potentially start the next yellow vest rebellion.”