Young offenders' injuries probe

Over a two-year period, 10 children and young adults were left with broken bones after being restrained by officers at Castington YOI in Northumberland.

One incident resulted in an inmate having both his wrists broken. Another inmate was left with a broken knee. The other incidents resulted in actual or suspected broken wrists.

Inspectors said there was "no coherent explanation" for the spate of injuries and concluded control and restraint (C&R) techniques were not being used properly. They also found there was "no independent oversight" of investigations following allegations against staff, the report said.

An instructor in restraint techniques told inspectors that staff may have been "rushing" the arm locks they put on inmates, resulting in injury.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Dame Anne Owers called for an independent inquiry into how the injuries happened led by "a senior figure independent of the establishment".

But the Ministry of Justice appointed a senior manager in the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), which runs prisons and probation, to conduct the review.

The report said: "Our principal concern... was the discovery that, over a two-year period, the use of control and restraint techniques by staff had resulted in young people sustaining seven confirmed fractures and three suspected fractures. "

"We have not previously come across so many serious injuries sustained in this way. However, no coherent explanation had emerged for the scale and frequency of these injuries. Without a full and objective review of all these incidents, we cannot be assured that they will not recur."

The institution, which holds more than 200 15 to 17-year-olds and 132 young adults aged 18 to 21, handled 36 complaints of physical assault or excessive force by staff over the two-year period. Eight were investigated by police, but where no charges were brought, managers did not even consider internal disciplinary measures, the report said.