Inmates at a high security prison in Thamesmead committed hundreds of assaults on both staff and fellow prisoners last year, new figures from the Ministry of Justice reveal.

The Category A men's prison is known for housing high-profile inmates, particularly those involved in national security cases.

The data shows a worrying increase in violence at Belmarsh, with 290 assaults recorded in the year leading up to March 2024.

This is a significant rise from at least 239 assaults the previous year. Of these incidents, 100 were assaults on staff, while 189 were prisoner-on-prisoner attacks.

The total number of assaults might be higher due to overlapping incidents involving staff, prisoners, or visitors.

This increase in violence at Belmarsh reflects a broader trend across prisons in England and Wales.

Nationally, the number of assaults has hit a post-coronavirus pandemic high, with 28,292 incidents reported over the past year—an alarming 27 per cent rise from the previous year.

These figures have raised serious concerns among prison reform advocates.

The Prison Reform Trust condemned the rise in violence, calling it a "shameful reflection of just how far safety in our prisons has fallen."

They urged the Government to take immediate action to restore safety and stability within the prison system.

The Ministry of Justice also reported a troubling increase in self-harm incidents.

Nationally, self-harm rates have reached their highest level since records began, with 73,804 incidents in the past year—equating to one prisoner self-harming every seven minutes.

At Belmarsh, the number of self-harm incidents rose from 337 in the previous year to 352.

Andrea Coomber, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: "Much of the focus of policy has been on the crisis of prison capacity, with the number of available cells at the foremost of people's minds.

"These figures remind us that there is a crisis of human misery behind bars too.

"Exposing people to environments of rising violence and mental distress will do nothing to turn their lives around and away from crime".

These alarming statistics come amid deteriorating prison conditions.

Of the 119 adult prisons in England and Wales, 35 have been rated as being of "concern," including Belmarsh, and 15 have been rated as being of "serious concern."

The number of prisons in the latter category has increased by six since last year.