Overview

• Convicted murderer John Mansfield was killed at HMP Whitemoor on April 13, with a 44-year-old inmate arrested on suspicion of his murder.
• Hashem Abedi, serving a life sentence for the Manchester Arena bombing, attacked three prison officers at HMP Frankland on April 12 using hot oil and makeshift weapons.
• The Prison Service has suspended inmate access to kitchens in high-security separation and close supervision centres as part of a broader security review.
• Political leaders, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, have called for urgent investigations into the incidents and systemic failures in prison management.
• Experts and unions highlight understaffing, mismanagement, and the influence of extremist gangs as key factors exacerbating violence and instability in UK prisons.