20% of prisoners on protection over prison gang threats

ONE fifth of the prison population is now on protection due to the gang culture in the prison system.

More than one third of these — almost one-in-10 of all prisoners — are locked up 23 hours a day, such is the danger to their lives.

Prison boss Brian Purcell also revealed that there were 10-12 gangs in the system, but rejected claims by the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) that gangs were controlling some prisons.