'Killing in prison is not difficult' - the rise in cold-blooded attacks behind bars

'Killing in prison is not difficult' - the rise in cold-blooded attacks behind barsJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleSima KotechaSenior UK correspondentCorbis via Getty ImagesPrison killings and violent assaults have increased in recent years"If you want to kill someone in prison, it's not difficult," a prisoner messages me from his cell.He's been convicted of serious violence and is serving a lengthy sentence inside one of England's largest Victorian prisons."People in here are innovative - they have time to think about how to kill and damage," he says in a stream of messages to me. "You'd be surprised what they can do with razor blades and a toothbrush. The look of it [the weapon] is enough for you to panic."Possessing or using a mobile phone in prison is a criminal offence in the UK, but like many inmates, this prisoner has smuggled one in.The man, who is adamant he's remorseful and wants a fresh start once back on the outside, messages after news of the death of Ian Huntley rippled through Britain's prisons - and the country.Huntley, the former school caretaker who murdered 10-year-old girls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002, died last month after sustaining serious head injuries following an attack at HMP Frankland in County Durham. A prison inmate has been charged with murder and is next due to appear in court on 3 June.It was the latest deadly prison attack, coming not long after convicted child sex offender and former LostProphets singer Ian Watkins died following an attack in HMP Wakefield, West Yorkshire, in October 2025. He was serving a 29-year sentence for offences including the attempted rape of a baby.A man has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Watkins and is due to stand trial.Violence on the riseAccording to Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures, there were 3,544 serious assaults in prisons in England and Wales in the 12 months to September 2025 - up 8% from the year...