A prison officer who had his ear sliced off by a terrorist last year has been beaten unconscious with a kettle by another inmate just months after returning to work at Feltham Young Offenders, described as Britain’s most violent prison. The horrifying assault has reignited demands for staff to be issued with PAVA pepper spray to protect themselves from increasingly violent attacks.
The officer was hospitalised with severe concussion after being bludgeoned with the kettle four weeks ago by a teenage inmate who had previously stamped on another guard’s head, leaving him with a brain bleed. The attacker, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared calm when the officer entered his cell before suddenly launching the assault.
The attack occurred just five months after the same officer was hospitalised when Muslim convert Nathan Ruth, 18, slashed his ear off at the west London institution. Ruth, who was jailed for seven years in 2024 for plotting an attack at the Isle of Wight Festival, has reportedly stabbed ten prison officers during his time in custody.
Prison sources claim the latest incident could have been prevented had staff been equipped with PAVA spray, a synthetic pepper spray approved for use in young offenders’ institutions by the justice secretary in April but yet to be fully rolled out. HM Inspectorate of Prisons described Feltham A as the “most violent prison in the country” in a July 2024 report, with incidents of disorder having tripled since the previous inspection.
“There has been resistance to providing us with PAVA spray from various groups who have no idea what life inside a young offenders institute is like, campaigning for the inmates because they are young,” a prison source told this newspaper. “These are teenagers – but they are also rapists, murderers, and some are six foot four. We need the right protection or it is a matter of time before someone is dead.”
The teenage attacker had assaulted another officer two months before the kettle incident, reportedly stamping on his head and causing a brain bleed. Following the latest attack, he was moved to the separation unit and a referral made to police. Despite this, sources claim he has retained privileges including television access and canteen ordering rights.
“The bloke has been badly assaulted twice in a year and is getting no support from the service,” the source said. “He hasn’t been back since the assault four weeks ago. His mental health is in bits – and he has since found out that his attacker has kept his television and can order what he wants from the canteen. It’s enough to send anyone over the edge and question why on earth they would do this job.”
The attack forms part of a disturbing pattern of violence against prison staff, including recent high-profile incidents involving some of Britain’s most notorious inmates. In April, Southport killer Axel Rudakubana, 18, used a kettle to boil water which he then launched over an officer at HMP Belmarsh. This came weeks after Manchester Arena bomber Hashem Abedi attacked three prison officers at HMP Frankland, stabbing them with homemade weapons and throwing hot cooking oil on them.
Prison sources at Feltham expressed frustration at the delay in implementing protective measures. “Back in April we were told by the secretary of state we were getting PAVA in the youth estates – but still nothing,” one source said. “Feltham is the most violent prison in the country – and we have nothing to protect ourselves. Unless something changes soon – somebody is going to die. We are constantly told the MOJ take staff assaults seriously – but it’s just words. It means nothing.”
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced in April that PAVA spray would be issued to specially trained staff at Feltham A, Werrington and Wetherby – the three public sector young offender institutions holding children under 18. The decision was made against the advice of the Youth Justice Board, whose chair Keith Fraser warned that “PAVA spray is not effective in reducing violence.”
The implementation will involve “a really high level” of training with “a very clear, high threshold” for when the spray can be used, according to senior youth custody sources. However, the Prison Officers’ Association has welcomed the move, with general secretary Steve Gillan stating: “Prison officers must be given the right PPE to protect themselves and prisoners from violence. This is a step in the right direction.”
Critics including the Howard League for Penal Reform have opposed the introduction of PAVA spray in youth settings, arguing it represents “a profound failure” and warning that normalising the use of weapons risks making conditions worse. Data shows Black men are almost three times more likely to be sprayed with PAVA than White men in adult prisons, raising concerns about disproportionate use.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed that specially trained staff in the youth estate will be issued PAVA spray this summer. A spokesman said: “We take a zero-tolerance approach to violence and will always push for the strongest punishments for anyone found guilty of assaulting another young person or member of staff.”
The escalating violence at Feltham reflects a broader crisis in youth custody. Recent statistics show rates of assaults on staff in young offender institutions are 14 times higher than in adult prisons, with officers suffering fractures, dislocations and puncture wounds. In 2015, Feltham recorded 894 attacks so serious that proportionate legal punishments were imposed – the highest of any prison in England and Wales.
Another prison source warned of the urgent need for action: “Somebody is going to die soon. We have officers being used as human shields to protect victims from attacks where they’re being stamped and kicked in the head by numerous assailants. It’s only a matter of time before we have a fatality.”
The teenager responsible for the kettle attack remains in custody at Feltham. Sources indicate he had been jailed for possessing a knife and has a history of violent behaviour within the institution. His case highlights the challenges facing staff dealing with increasingly violent young offenders who show little regard for authority or consequences.
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