Government accused of ‘secretly’ rolling out pepper spray in prisons during pandemic

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The government has been accused of “secretly” accelerating the rollout of pepper spray in adult male closed prisons during the coronavirus pandemic. open image in gallery Inspectors raised concerns about the “frequent and increasing” use of Pava pepper spray at HMP Swinfen Hall - a category C men’s prison and young offenders institution in Staffordshire In April last year, the government wrote to stakeholders notifying them the rollout was being paused. A month later, it wrote again to announce Pava training was being paused – but that an “operational decision” had been made to introduce the spray at all male adult closed prisons where it could be used by prison officers who had already received the necessary training. The rollout has to stop, and Pava must be withdrawn from the prisons where the standards promised just aren’t being met.” A Prison Service spokesperson said in a statement to The Independent: “Pava is only used as a last resort by specially trained prison officers.