G4S: Oakwood riots involved 'small number of prisoners'
A disturbance at a jail described as an incident of "concerted indiscipline" by authorities was in fact a "full-scale riot", a prison officer has said.
England's largest prison, HMP Oakwood, near Wolverhampton, was the scene of disturbances earlier this month when 15 to 20 prisoners threatened officers and caused damage to cells, G4S have said.
Jerry Petherick, managing director of custodial and detention services at G4S, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the disturbance involved "a small number a prisoners" who occupied a wing of a prison for "a number of hours".
He said the prison is "operating very well" and he hopes it will "come out of the media spotlight".
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Thursday 23 January 2014.
23 Jan 2014
- From the section England