Trigger warning: graphic image

I was stabbed in the back with a broken bottle while doing my job back in 2010, while I was working as a prison officer at HMP Frankland - the same prison where three officers were attacked just weeks ago. 

The attack left me with life-changing physical injuries and a deep psychological toll that I carry to this day. The impact on me and my family was devastating — and entirely preventable.

Now that I'm retired, I’ve chosen to speak out again after hearing of another shocking assault at the very same prison. Earlier this month, an inmate threw hot oil at three officers and stabbed them with makeshift weapons. 

 It was horrifying and all too familiar. It’s clear that in the 15 years since my attack, no meaningful lessons have been learned.

The same lack of protection that left me vulnerable back then still exists today. Prison officers continue to face extreme violence without the basic protective gear that could save their lives.

Every officer should be equipped with anti-stab and anti-slash garments. This should have been mandatory long ago — certainly after what happened to me and my colleagues in 2010. But nothing changed and now others are paying the price.

Assaults on prison officers are rising. According to HM Prison and Probation Service, there’s been a 20% increase in attacks across England and Wales over the past five years.

These are not just numbers — they are people, being injured and traumatised while doing their job.

Protective clothing is not a luxury — it’s a basic necessity. It can mean the difference between an officer walking out of their shift or being carried out.

Prison officers deserve to feel safe. They deserve to come home to their families. And they deserve leadership that values their lives enough to act.

Please sign my petition to demand that the government and prison authorities finally make anti-stab and anti-slash protective gear mandatory for all prison officers. 

Claire and Ged.