Assaults on prison staff nearly hourly in England and Wales, data shows

Rise of 6% shows consequences of prisoner overcrowding and low staffing levels, say Liberal Democrats

There were nearly 8,000 assaults on prison staff in the year to June 2023, almost one an hour on average, the Liberal Democrats have said, arguing that the statistic shows the consequences of prisoner overcrowding and low staffing levels.

Official statistics showed there were 7,908 assaults over the 12 months in prisons across England and Wales – 6% higher than the same period a year before – with 748 of them classified as serious.