Snowden Leaks: Guardian Editor To Give Evidence

The editor of the Guardian is to give evidence to MPs over documents leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

A spokesman for the newspaper told Sky News that Alan Rusbridger had been "invited to give evidence to the home affairs select committee and looks forward to appearing next month".

It follows a series of articles published by the Guardian about the surveillance of phone and internet communications by the security services.

The revelations in the newspaper - and others around the world - were made in top-secret documents obtained by Mr Snowden, a former CIA computer analyst who has since fled to Russia.

Three of Britain's spy chiefs warned of the impact of the revelations

On Thursday, three of Britain's spy chiefs warned that terrorists would be "rubbing their hands with glee" at the level of information released.

Al Qaeda would be "lapping up" the revelations, they told an intelligence and security committee hearing.

It also emerged that dozens of Conservative MPs had written to Mr Rusbridger, asking him to consult the Government or security services before publishing any further stories based on Mr Snowden's files.

In their letter, the MPs said that publishing the leaked information in such detail "runs the risk of compromising the vital work of the institutions, processes and people who protect the safety of this country".

The Guardian has published a series of stories based on Mr Snowden's leaks

However, Mr Rusbridger said: "We continue to consult with both the security services and the Government on our reporting.

"We have in fact consulted with the White House, Downing Street (and) the intelligence services on both sides of the Atlantic ... on every story but one that we have published."

He added: "Snowden handed these documents to newspapers, who have responsibly edited them after prolonged and regular discussions with the relevant authorities.

"Were newspapers to be injuncted, criminalised or inhibited from reporting on such matters ... it is easy to predict what the next Edward Snowden or (fellow whistleblower) Chelsea Manning would do.

"They would, in all probability, bypass newspapers and publish the material directly on to the web, with far more serious consequences."

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mobile Spending 'Could Be Worth £23bn' By 2018

By Poppy Trowbridge, Business and Economics Correspondent

This year has been dubbed 'The Mobile Christmas' and with 48% growth in mobile shopping, retailers are increasingly targeting shoppers through digital devices.

British retailers will spend nearly £400m on advertising during the last three months of 2013 and consumer spending via mobiles and tablets is worth about nearly £8bn a year, according to research firm Verdict.

But over the next five years, the spread of smartphones and tablets will see our spending on these devices triple to £23bn.

Spending via mobiles and tablets is expected to triple over five years

Two thirds of that shopping is done at home, as buyers often wait until they are logged in to a secure network before purchasing items.

Matthew Rubin, retail analyst with Verdict Research, said: "While we are expecting growth in successive years, we are expecting this year to be the highest level of growth. Retailers really need to invest in their mobile websites now."

John Lewis announced its £7m Christmas television advertising campaign on Friday. The ad is set to a cover of Keane's 2004 hit Somewhere Only We Know sung by Lily Allen.

Supermarket chain Morrisons launched its Christmas TV advertising campaign during the prime-time slot of ITV's Coronation Street.

Some 20% of home shopping business at Asda is done via mobile or tablet

Asda says 20% of its home shopping business is done via a mobile or tablet, and that figure is growing by 1% each month.

The living room is becoming a key location for retailers to target consumers, as 67.2% of all online shoppers making a purchase from their home do so in their living room.

Wealthy young shoppers currently dominate mobile and tablet expenditure, but with increased access to cheaper, high-specification devices, older shoppers will have a much bigger impact over the next five years, Verdict research shows.

Still, window shopping hasn't entirely given way to digital methods yet.

Around 38% of online shoppers still research goods by viewing them in a store before purchasing them online.

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Alcohol Testing In Workplace Recommended

By James Matthews, Sky News Correspondent

An organisation set up to tackle alcohol misuse has called for workplace testing to seek out problem drinkers.

The Alcohol Health Network wants employees to take a standardised test which identifies whether or not they are misusing alcohol.

The body's director and founder, Don Shenker, wrote in the British Medical Journal that if problems were identified, employers could provide advice to help prevent problem-drinking at an early stage.

He stated that introducing such a measure could "prevent alcohol-related harm and sickness costs".

Mr Shenker wrote: "Offering staff confidential use of the 'alcohol use disorders identification test' and brief advice as a self-awareness initiative at work, whether through face to face interactions or leaflets, may well help prevent problems with alcohol at an earlier stage.

"In this way, staff who may be concerned about their drinking or whose level of drinking is not yet apparent to them, can assess the risks their drinking poses to their health and take appropriate action.

"Reducing hazardous drinking also reduces the risk of dependent drinking occurring."

He added: "Employers need also to be convinced of the business case for prevention rather than cure - that is, that it is ultimately more cost effective to prevent and reduce harmful drinking in the general working population, compared with the costs of managing dependent drinking among a minority of staff."

The NHS estimates that in the UK around 9% of men and 4% of women show signs of alcohol dependence.

In 2011, 167,764 prescriptions for drugs to treat alcohol dependency were prescribed.

In 2010, 6,669 deaths were directly related to alcohol.

The Government advises that people should not regularly drink more than the daily unit guidelines of three to four units of alcohol for men (equivalent to a pint and a half of 4% beer) and two to three units of alcohol for women (equivalent to a 175ml glass of wine).

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Poor Record' On Illegal Immigrant Removals

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky News Reporter

Fewer than one in 50 reports of illegal immigration result in a person being removed from the country, according to a new report from the Home Affairs Select Committee.

A closer look at the allegations database, set up by the now-defunct UK Border Agency (UKBA) to follow up tip-offs by the public, reveals only 6% of claims led to an investigation and 1.5% led to removals.

Chairman of the Committee Rt. Hon Keith Vaz MP said: "This is a very poor record and does not give confidence to those who go out of their way to help the Home Office.

Keith Vaz says the Government needs to take action on illegal immigration

"If the Government wants to get tough on illegal immigrants it needs to take effective action. When people make allegations about those here illegally the Home Office must act."

Between September 30 last year and June 30 this year 48,660 allegations had been received - about 178 a day.

The group of MPs looked in detail at the work of the UKBA between January and March 2013 before the agency was closed down.

The report also said backlogs in immigration and asylum applications could take over five years to clear if more is not done.

The committee found 432,000 cases still needed processing, and while that was 70,400 fewer than the previous quarter, most of that reduction was achieved simply by loading pending cases onto computer systems.

Mr Vaz said: "There are still over 430,000 cases languishing in the backlogs, enough to fill Wembley Stadium almost five times over.

"As we have said on numerous occasions, the backlogs must be cleared as a matter of priority, only then will the Home Office be able to tackle the deeper problems in the immigration system."

In March, Home Secretary Theresa May announced the UKBA would be abolished after a damning report found the agency was too big, not transparent enough and had failing IT systems.

It has now been replaced by two separate teams within the Home Office; an immigration and visa service, along with a group dealing with immigration law enforcement.

The Home Affairs Select Committee concludes that the backlogs in visa and asylum applications must be cleared as a matter of priority.

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Child Killer Alan Giles Found After Manhunt

Child killer Alan Giles, who has been on the run since last week, has been captured by police.

The 56-year-old walked out of an open section of HMP Hewell in Worcestershire on October 28 while serving life for the 1995 kidnap and murder of a 16-year-old student.

West Mercia Police said he was found in the Gunnings Road area of Alcester, Warwickshire, after a call from a member of the public who believed they had spotted him just after 6pm.

A previous wanted poster of Alan Giles

Police flooded the area with officers and although the murderer initially ran off, he was quickly caught and taken into custody in Redditch.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Judge said: "We are very pleased to have tracked down Mr Giles as the search for him has taken up an enormous amount of our time and resources over the past ten days.

"As we always suspected, a tip-off from a member of the public was key to us bringing Mr Giles back into custody tonight and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank every single person who has come forward with information to help our investigation.

"We have been really impressed by the amount of information that has come in and how keen people have been to help us with our inquiries."

Last week, police made a direct appeal to Giles, who is eligible to apply for parole next year, to hand himself in.

Giles, originally from the Quinton, near Birmingham, was jailed for 19 years for killing Kevin Ricketts.

The 16-year-old's body was not found until 1998, after Giles asked to speak to West Midlands Police while serving his sentence.

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Man Charged Over Deaths Of Two Girls Hit By Car

A 20-year-old man has been charged with the manslaughter of two teenage girls who died after they were hit by a car.

Samuel Etherington, from Gosport, Hampshire, will appear at Portsmouth Magistrates Court later.

Police were called to Ann's Hill Road in Gosport at 4.15am on Sunday following reports that a green Honda Civic collided with two girls.

Jasmine Allsop, 14, died at the scene, while Olivia Lewry, 16, died later after being taken to hospital.

Jasmine's mother, Rosemary, has described how she kissed her daughter goodbye after she was awoken by the emergency services attending the accident which happened outside her home.

Ms Allsop, 37, said she had enjoyed a night in with the two girls before the accident.

She said: "I went out and then a neighbour covered me in a blanket. I kissed her - it was four hours before they took her body away because I did not want to let her go.

"I told her she was my angel and I'd loved her since the day she was born. I can remember her big blue eyes staring."

The housewife, who is the mother of a four-year-old, said the death left her numb. She said: "I'm empty inside and lost. I keep expecting her to come through the door."

She added: "Jasmine was a gorgeous, lovely, bubbly character. They (Jasmine and Olivia) were best friends."

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hospital Faces Police Probe Over Cancer Care

A hospital trust could face a police investigation over allegations staff were "pressured or bullied" into falsifying data relating to cancer patients.

A number of cancer patients suffered "undue delays" at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said.

CQC inspectors found that there were "inaccuracies" with waiting time data relating to cancer treatment.

Staff told inspectors they were put under pressure to change data relating to patients and their treatment to make it seem like people were being treated in line with national guidelines, a CQC spokesman said.

As a result some patients may not have had the treatment they needed in time, he added.

The watchdog has passed its findings to Essex Police - and Professor Sir Mike Richards, the newly appointed Chief Inspector of Hospitals, has recommended the trust is placed into special measures.

The trust has offered to review the treatment of 30 patients

Essex Police confirmed it had been contacted by the CQC and said it was reviewing the information to establish whether to launch a criminal investigation into the matter.

When CQC inspectors visited the trust in August and September they found discrepancies in the records and types of treatment recorded for some cancer patients.

Of the 61 care records examined, 22 showed that people had been "placed at risk of receiving care that was unsafe or not effective, due to delays in receiving appointments or treatment".

In some cases people did not get their treatment within the required 62 days, and in three cases delays exceeded 100 days.

Even though an internal trust investigation in 2012 identified concerns, hospital bosses failed to investigate the allegations thoroughly or follow up with the patients who were affected, the watchdog said.

The trust has written to 30 patients, or their next of kin - where patients have died, offering to review their treatment.

Chief executive Dr Gordon Coutts said: "We are truly sorry that in some cases cancer patients, their carers and families have not always received the high quality of care that they should have expected from our trust. We sincerely apologise to those who we have let down."

Essex Police is considering whether to launch a criminal investigation

He reassured patients and the wider public that the trust was taking action to address all of the concerns raised by the CQC.

"Our priority remains to focus on the safety and well-being of all our patients and being placed in special measures would provide us with additional advice and support to help us to further improve our services."

Christina McAnea, head of health at union Unison, called for a "full and thorough investigation".

"Our members took a brave step by reporting to the CQC that they were being bullied and harassed by senior managers to falsify records relating to cancer patients," she said.

"They raised their concerns repeatedly and in emails to senior managers, right up to the chief executive, but they were ignored."

Dr Peter Carter, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said its representative in the area was branded a "fantasist" for raising concerns.

He told Sky News: "This is a hospital that the RCN has expressed serious concerns about over the last couple of years, and I wish the hospital management had taken our concerns seriously and it might have prevented what has been revealed."

Prof Richards said: "It is shocking to think that people's lives may have been put at risk for the sake of the waiting time figures.

"Every year around six thousand people go to Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust to be treated for cancer. It is essential that people in north Essex can have confidence in their hospital."

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Afghan Suicide Blast Kills British Soldier

A British soldier has been killed in a suicide attack while on patrol in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has announced.

The "hugely experienced" soldier from the 3rd Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Staffords) died when a car bomb was set off by an attacker, the MoD said.

The soldier was taking part in a patrol in the Kamparak area, 40km northeast of the provincial capital Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province.

The death takes to 446 the number of UK service members who have lost their lives since operations in Afghanistan began in October 2001 and is the eighth this year.

Lieutenant Colonel Hywel Lewis MBE, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "A hugely experienced soldier has tragically died while serving with his comrades in Afghanistan.

"He commanded great respect throughout his regiment. Those who served alongside him were privileged to operate with a highly professional soldier who led by example.

"Our prayers and thoughts are with his family at this extremely difficult time. The next of kin have been informed and have requested the customary period of grace before further details are released."

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Kidnapper Jailed For Abducting Doncaster Girl

A man who abducted a 14-year-old girl has been jailed for six years after a judge ruled his actions were at least partly motivated by sex.

John Bush disappeared with the youngster in June after she was placed with foster parents, triggering a nationwide police hunt.

The pair were eventually found at Euston railway station in central London, around 170 miles from the girl's home near Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

Sheffield Crown Court heard they had exchanged 250 text messages in the two days before the abduction.

After travelling with the girl to Pontefract, West Yorkshire, and Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, Bush persuaded the landlord of a village pub to let him have two rooms, telling him the youngster was his daughter.

He left the next day without paying and travelled south, staying with the girl, who cannot be named, in Watford, Hertfordshire, before heading into London the following day.

He was arrested after the pair were spotted by a British Transport Police officer.

Bush, of Askern, Doncaster, was jailed for three and a half years for sexual activity with a child and two years for child abduction.

He was jailed for a further six months for breaching his suspended sentence and 12 months for not paying for a hotel room, although the latter sentence will run concurrently.

Jailing Bush, who pleaded guilty to all charges, Judge Paul Watson said: "She was a vulnerable little girl leading a chaotic lifestyle through no fault of her own.

"At a time when she needed stability and guidance in her life, you took her away from the people responsible for providing that for her."

He added: "I'm satisfied that (sex), if not your prime motivation, was certainly a very strong motivation for your conduct."

Bush has a history of convictions for dishonesty, involving conning people out of money and property, dating back to 1997.

Nicholas De La Poer, defending, said his client had expressed "real regret and remorse" for his actions.

He argued the abduction had not been motivated by sex and that Bush had acted on impulse, "making it up as he went along".

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

RSPCA: Huge Rise In Animals Shot By Air Guns

Injuries to animals that were shot with air rifles leapt by more than 40% last year to nearly 800, the RSPCA has said.

The horrific attacks include several cats shot in the face, whose eyes had to be removed, and others who did not survive after being shot.

The RSPCA is seeking to highlight the attacks as it launches a new awareness campaign about the work of the society's inspectors.

Staff members investigating attacks can often find themselves in the firing line, with three out of four inspectors suffering some sort of abuse every year while doing their job, the society has revealed.

In 2012 alone, inspectors were assaulted or threatened 246 times.

TV presenter and wildlife expert Chris Packham said: "I take my hat off to RSPCA Inspectors, I wouldn't want to go into the situations they do and deal with people who have inflicted such barbaric cruelty on defenceless animals - that takes real courage and professionalism.

"Sadly dealing with the most stomach-churning suffering is every day work to these men and women. I dread to think what would happen if they weren't there to help."

The charity says that in the last 24 months, its inspectors have been threatened with: a claw hammer, a knife, a crossbow, a shotgun and a machete, among other weapons.

As well as being assaulted, a number of staff have been subjected to death threats.

The attacks on staff have come while inspectors have been investigating a number of incidents of the serious abuse of animals.

These have included: a dog beaten with a pole, a swan shot with a cross bow, a cat beaten against tree, a three-week-old lamb with its ears cut off, a lurcher stamped on, run over and stabbed with a potato peeler, a bird shot straight through its eye with blowgun dart and a mouse tortured with power tool.

RSPCA inspector Susan Haywood, who was herself assaulted last year, said she felt she had no choice but to act whenever cruelty was reported.

She said: "The bottom line is that the call comes in and your only thought is that there is an animal needing my help and you don't even think about what could happen to you and whether there could be violence directed at you."

"There was no way these animals can help themselves - that's why our job is so important because we can get animals the help they so desperately need."

The charity's Everyday Heroes appeal aims to highlight the dangers faced by many animals and to support the workers who try to protect them.

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Gosport 'Car Murder': Two Teenage Girls Named

A 20-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after two teenage girls died when they were hit by a car.

Jasmine Allsop, 14, died at the scene in Ann's Hill Road in Gosport, while Olivia Lewry, 16, was taken to hospital but also died, Hampshire Police said.

Detective Superintendent Dick Pearson said: "This is an extremely tragic incident which has resulted in the death of two young girls.

"I currently have a team of detectives and other officers, including expert road collision investigators, working on this case to fully investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of these two teenage girls.

Forensic staff have been examining the scene.

"I would appeal to anyone who knows anything which could help this investigation to contact my team as soon as possible."

The girls were pedestrians and were involved in a collision with a green Honda Civic car which was being driven along the road at about 4.15am on Sunday.

The older girl was taken to the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth with serious injuries but did not survive.

A man was originally taken into custody on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving but the offence was later changed to suspected murder, police said.

Mourners brought flowers to pay their respects to the girls.

He remains in custody.

A bouquet of flowers placed near the scene read: 'In loving memory of Olivia and Jaz, thinking of you lots of love.'

One local resident Aaron O'Sullivan told the Portsmouth News: "It's horrible – what a waste of life, especially coming up to Christmas, it's just shocking."

Sky News reporter Siobhan Robbins spoke to some of the girls' friends, saying they described them as 'outgoing and bubbly'.

One local resident Daniel Close said: "It's tragic. It's got to be the worst news you can get."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Major Investigation Team at Fratton Police Station on 101, quoting Operation Barb.

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Missing Terror Suspect Hunted By Police

A terror suspect who escaped surveillance by changing into a burka on a visit to a mosque is being hunted by counter-terrorism officers.

Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed was last seen at a west London mosque on Friday afternoon.

He entered the building wearing Western-style clothes, but CCTV images issued by Scotland Yard later show him leaving with his face and body fully covered by the traditional Islamic garment.

The 27-year-old is subject to a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures notice (Tpim).

A court-imposed anonymity order banning the publication of Mr Mohamed's name has been lifted to allow police to make a public appeal, following an application from the Home Secretary.

Mr Mohamed is "not considered at this time to represent a direct threat to the public", Scotland Yard said, but anyone who sees him is urged to call 999 immediately.

Security Minister James Brokenshire said: "National security is the Government's top priority and the police are doing everything in their power to apprehend this man as quickly as possible.

Mr Mohamed, pictured before he vanished

"The police and security services do not believe that this man poses a direct threat to the public in the UK.

"The Home Secretary, on police advice, yesterday applied to the High Court for an order protecting anonymity to be lifted in order to assist with their investigation."

Somalia-born Mr Mohamed, who is 5ft 8in tall and of medium build, arrived at the An-Noor Masjid and Community Centre in Church Road, Acton, at 10am on Friday and was last seen there at 3.15pm that day.

He is the second person to breach a Tpim since they were introduced to replace control orders in early 2012.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "The Counter Terrorism Command immediately launched inquiries to trace Mr Mohamed and these continue.

"Ports and borders were notified with his photograph and details circulated nationally. Public safety remains our priority."

Tpims, which include restrictions on overnight residence, travel and finance, are imposed by judges who are given access to secret evidence that can not be placed before juries.

Another CCTV image shows the burka-clad figure, believed to be Mr Mohamed

They do not allow for the relocation of suspects, as control orders did and unlike control orders, Tpims have a maximum time limit of two years.

Control orders could be extended year on year without limit, while Tpims can be extended after a year for another 12 months before they expire.

As of August 31, there were nine Tpims in force, including eight against British suspects, the latest written update to MPs showed.

Last December, Ibrahim Magag, who is understood to have attended terrorist training camps in Somalia, absconded from a Tpim notice after ripping off his electronic tag. The police search for him is continuing.

The terrorism watchdog warned earlier this year that Tpims could allow those deemed potentially dangerous to be left "free and unconstrained" in the absence of prosecution or new evidence of terrorism-related activity.

Police are still hunting Ibrahim Magag, who absconded in December 2012

David Anderson QC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said in his first report on Tpims, that the two-year limit was the "boldest" change from control orders made by the Government, adding that it was "tempting, in the most serious cases, to wish for longer".

Speaking in March, he said: "Some subjects who have been judged by the Home Secretary and by the courts to be potentially dangerous will then, absent prosecution or new evidence of terrorism-related activity, be free and unconstrained."

Mr Anderson said a longer time limit was tempting as allegations against some Tpim subjects were at the "highest end of seriousness, even by the standards of international terrorism".

However, he concluded that the two years of constraint now permitted were "a very strong power by international or indeed historic British standards".

Mr Brokenshire has defended the measures, describing them as providing a "robust mechanism" to manage suspects and reassure the public.

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Plebgate' Officers Facing New Investigation

Three police officers accused of deceiving MPs over the so-called Plebgate scandal are to face a new investigation by the police watchdog.

The officers - police federation representatives - will also be called back before an influential committee of MPs over evidence they gave to them previously.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission said there were "procedural irregularities" in an earlier probe.

Andrew Mitchell tried to take his bike through the Downing Street gates

Inspector Ken MacKaill, Detective Sergeant Stuart Hinton and Sergeant Chris Jones are accused of giving misleading accounts of a meeting with former chief whip Andrew Mitchell.

The Conservative MP met with the officers last October in a bid to clear the air after an alleged foul-mouthed confrontation with police in Downing Street the previous month.

The trio were initially told they would face no action for misconduct over misleading press statements they made immediately after the meeting.

But the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has now said it will hold an investigation into their behaviour.

IPCC deputy chairwoman Deborah Glass said the watchdog was holding its inquiry to avoid damaging public confidence.

The confrontation was caught on CCTV and shown on Channel 4

She said: "Evidence given to the Home Affairs Select Committee on October 23 revealed a number of procedural irregularities between the production of the draft and final West Mercia reports."

The officers have also been recalled to the Home Affairs Select Committee to apologise for giving "misleading answers" on October 23.

Committee chairman Keith Vaz said: "We were appalled by the evidence given by DS Hinton, Sgt Jones and Inspector MacKaill. It is now clear that DS Hinton and Sgt Jones misled the Committee, possibly deliberately.

"We have recalled them to correct the record and if they do not, they will be in prima facie contempt of Parliament."

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Maidstone Prison 'Riot' Brought Under Control

A "riot" at Maidstone Prison has been brought under control, the Prison Service has said.

Officers from special prison service riot units across the country were called in to deal with the Maidstone incident in a system known as Operation Tornado.

A prison officers union said they had been told the riot involved up to 180 prisoners, but the Prison Service said that just 40 took part in the "incident".

Riot units were called to the prison

Prison Officers Association, Vice Chair, Ralph Valerio, told Sky News that negotiators were sent to the scene in Kent to try to contain the disturbance.

He said he had been told that that, at one point, inmates were smashing up Thanet Wing at the prison.

Mr Valerio said he was led to believe that between 160 to 180 foreigners were involved and some staff could have been assaulted.

Up to 180 foreigners are thought to have taken part in the disturbance

He said the prison staff were forced to retreat to safety. Thanet Wing, where the riot occurred, is separated from the other wings.

Jackie Hipwell, the landlady of a pub nearby, said the whole road in front of the prison was filled with fire engines and riot vans.

She said it started around 4pm and there were so many vehicles deployed she was unable to use the road.

The location of Thanet Wing at Maidstone Prison

A Prison Service spokesperson said later: "An incident involving around 40 prisoners at HMP Maidstone has been successfully resolved with no injuries to staff or prisoners.

"An investigation is under way and the perpetrators will be dealt with appropriately by the prison."

Mr Valerio believes staff shortages and the impact this has had on the prisoners is a possible reason behind the rioting.

Maidstone, with an inmate population of about 600, is a category C training prison that predominantly houses sex offenders from the Kent and Sussex areas.

Its website says it aims to "create a therapeutic environment that supports, embraces and empowers change with a primary focus on risk reduction and protection".

The prison also takes in foreign prisoners with more than 18 months to serve and provides forums with the UK Border Agency.

Kent Police confirmed they were aware of the incident, but a spokeswoman said prison services were dealing with the matter.

Meanwhile, a passive demonstration took place at G4S-run Rye Hill Prison, near Rugby,  involving 60 inmates. However, this was resolved peacefully and was not linked to the Maidstone riot.

12.25 | 0 komentar | Read More