Inmates who went on a 15-hour rampage which caused more than £6million damage to Birmingham’s Winson Green prison have been jailed for up to nine years.
Luke Mansell, 24, and John Burton, 39, were found guilty of causing a prison mutiny which led to ‘destruction on a grand scale’ after they stole the keys and released more than 500 inmates out their cells.
Ross Wilkinson, 24, Robert Smith, 34, Nathan Weston, 23, all admitted the same charge and have been charged for six years.
Burton, who has been charged with 89 offences in the past, was jailed for nine years along with Mansell.
Luke Mansell, 24 (left), and John Burton, 39, (right) were found guilty of causing a prison mutiny which led to ‘destruction on a grand scale’ at Birmingham’s Winson Green prison
More than 500 inmates were released from their cells and went on a 15-hour riot at the prison before specialist guards retook the wing
Mansell was on remand at the time of the riot after being convicted in February 2017 of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm for ‘unpalatable’ offence in which the victim had his penis branded with hair straighteners, forced him eat his faeces and had his front tooth pulled out with pliers.
When sentencing the five men, the judge told Birmingham Crown Court: ‘You were unquestionably the ring-leaders and instigators of the mutiny.
‘The destruction you few caused and the hostility showed was replicated by the other hundreds of prisoners.
‘It was your direct action in allowing you to get hold of the keys, enabled the release of all the other prisoners on the wings.’
After hundreds of specially trained ‘Tornado’ officers were drafted in to put down the disturbance, staff were greeted with the ‘graphic evidence’ of the violence faced by officers which is said to have a ‘profound impact’ on staff.
The judge said the jail’s wings were left ‘uninhabitable’ and ‘there had been destruction on a grand scale’.
He added that ‘a clear message had to be given to anyone considering this type of action’.
The court heard how trouble first flared when prisoners began jumping on the suicide netting on the N wing landing, where threats to take hostages were made by inmates.
Smith then threatened an officer by asking ‘fancy some compensation, guv?’ and Wilkinson said he had a syringe. While distracted, Smith snatched the keys from the guard, prompting a prison guard evacuation of the wing.
After managing to get out ‘just in time’, guards tried to shore-up the prison. At one point there was just one single secured external gate between the inmates and possible jail-break.
Prisoners took up armed with pool balls, paint pots and makeshift weapons and a television narrowly missed a prison officer’s head. An officer caught in the melee described how pool balls bounced off his helmet.
These verdicts send a powerful message that violence is never justifiable
Thirty sick or ill inmates had to be abandoned during the riot.
One officer spoke about the crippling mental effect the riot has had, telling the court: ‘I keep thinking about what would have happened if we hadn’t got out’.
Director at HMP Birmingham, Richard Stedman, added: ‘These verdicts send a powerful message that violence is never justifiable and those who endanger prisoners and staff can expect to face the full force of the law and the likelihood of an extended spell behind bars.
‘The evidence shown to the court of the sustained aggression of these men during the disturbance underscores the courage of Birmingham’s prison team and our colleagues from around the country in quelling the disorder.
‘The work of a prison officer can be extraordinarily challenging and I want to pay tribute to the resilience and professionalism of all of our officers and their resolve in the months since to recover and re-open the affected wings.’
The court heard how trouble first flared up when prisoners began jumping on the suicide netting on the N wing landing (pictured down the middle), where threats to take hostages were made by inmates
Prisons Minister Sam Gyimah MP said: ‘I visited HMP Birmingham in the aftermath of this incident and heard first-hand from the brave front-line staff that had to deal with this unprecedented level of violence as it unfolded.
‘The level of skill, commitment and dedication they displayed in bringing it to a safe conclusion was exemplary and undoubtedly saved many of their fellow colleagues and inmates from harm.
‘I want to thank staff at Birmingham prison and those from other establishments who helped to resolve this incident, as well as those from the emergency services who closely supported them.’
The sixth ‘instigator’, 30-year-old Grant Samed, will be sentenced in November.
Carl Brookes, 33, and Ross Queen, 30, will be sentenced on Tuesday for taking an unauthorised photo in the prison, during the riot.