A prisoner has died and two others were critically injured in a stabbing at HMP Pentonville, leading to claims the prison system is in a “dark place”.<\/p>\n
The man in his 20s died at the London prison on Tuesday. The injured were taken to hospital with knife wounds.<\/p>\n
Two prisoners, aged 34 and 26, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.<\/p>\n
The Prison Governors Association (PGA) said inmates were living in “squalid and brutal conditions”. The government said it is trying to tackle violence.<\/p>\n
A PGA spokesman said: “Our members, uniformed staff and prisoners are working and living in squalid and brutal conditions which should not be tolerated in a country that is one of the richest in the Western world.<\/p>\n
One unconfirmed report said the stabbings occurred in the exercise yard and an air ambulance was called.<\/p>\n
No prison officers are understood to have been injured in the attack, the Prison Officers Association said.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the union said “the unprecedented rise in violence in all of our prisons must not be underestimated”.<\/p>\n
It added: “We now ask for the Ministry of Justice to fully investigate this matter and the underlying problems within the prison estate.”<\/p>\n
Visitors queuing to see friends and relatives inside the prison spoke of their safety concerns.<\/p>\n
“My son is 21. I haven’t felt the same since I heard the news,” one woman said.<\/p>\n
“As a mother everyone tells you at least you know where he is and he is safe – but actually he’s not safe, is he?<\/p>\n
“No matter their age or what they have done, no-one deserves to die in prison.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"