Prison officers across the UK are set to demand the tactical use of electric stun guns as part of urgent calls for improved safety measures in the country’s most high-risk jails. The demand comes ahead of a key meeting with Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Wednesday, following a violent assault by convicted terrorist Hashem Abedi at HMP Frankland.
Abedi, who was convicted for his role in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing that killed 22 people, attacked prison officers with hot oil and improvised weapons. The incident, which occurred in the kitchen area of a separation unit at the County Durham facility, has sparked renewed concerns about the safety of prison staff and the effectiveness of current security protocols.
Mark Fairhurst, national chair of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA), said the current tools available to officers—extendable batons and Pava spray—are no longer sufficient to deal with the escalating threats posed by the most dangerous inmates.
“My concerns are that when we face life-threatening situations, we no longer have tactical options,” Fairhurst said during an interview on BBC Breakfast. “If extendible batons and incapacitant spray fail to work adequately, we have no other options available. That’s why we are calling for the tactical use of taser.”
He emphasized the need for specially trained response teams to be equipped with tasers to neutralize serious threats before they escalate.
In addition to tasers, the POA is also calling for the issuance of stab vests to all prison staff and the adoption of American “Supermax”-style rules for the most dangerous inmates. Under such a system, selected high-risk prisoners would be escorted by multiple officers in handcuffs and kept in strict isolation, with minimal privileges and no contact with other inmates.
Justice Secretary Mahmood acknowledged the severity of the situation in a statement, saying, “We must do better to protect our prison officers in the future.” She announced a full, independent review into the incident at HMP Frankland and a separate internal review into the adequacy of protective body armour for staff.
However, her statement made no mention of electric stun guns, raising concerns that the POA’s core demand may not be on the table.
The Ministry of Justice has since suspended access to kitchen areas within the separation centre at Frankland, where Abedi launched his most recent attack. The review will investigate whether changes are needed not only at Frankland but across the UK’s High Security Estate.
Hashem Abedi, who helped his brother Salman plan the Manchester Arena bombing, is currently serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 55 years. He was previously involved in a violent incident at Belmarsh Prison in 2020 and was transferred to Frankland, only to be moved back to Belmarsh following the latest attack.
The incident has drawn criticism from survivors and victims’ families, who have questioned how a high-risk inmate like Abedi was allowed access to potentially dangerous facilities such as kitchens.
As the POA prepares for its meeting with the Justice Secretary, prison staff across the UK will be watching closely to see whether the government acts decisively to bolster safety in one of the most volatile areas of the criminal justice system.
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