Wakefield Prison: Escorts sought to transport contractors around infamous Yorkshire jail for £12.48 an hour
A notorious Yorkshire jail is on the hunt for a prison escort to transport contractors in and out of the prison with a starting wage of £12.48 per hour.
Manpower, the recruitment company working on behalf of the HM Prison & Probation Service, is looking for candidates to apply for the position at Wakefield prison.
The temporary role is a full time position with a potential wage increase from £12.48 up to £16.60 per hour plus the potential of overtime.
National Minimum Wage for those over 21 is currently £12.21 per hour.
The Manpower job advert reads: “As a prison escort, you'll be responsible for escorting contractors and personnel on and off-site, enabling them to complete planned and minor works while upholding the highest safety and security standards.”
One of the key responsibilities of the job is to “ensure contractors are safely guided to and from work areas, maintaining compliance at all times.”
The job role includes verifying contractors’ ID, checking their tools, and maintaining safety protocols as well as assisting in emergencies.
Wakefield Prison - often nicknamed “Monster Mansion” - is a category A men’s prison on the edge of Wakefield city centre.
It’s home to a range of high risk sex offenders and murderers including serial killers Jeremy Bamber, Mick Philpott and paedophile Ian Watkins.
It was formerly home to serial killers Harold Shipman and Charles Bronson.
Shipman was found dead in his cell in 2004. Bronson married an actress while serving his sentence in the prison and allegedly attacked a prison governor in 2018. He has since been transferred to HMP Frankland in County Durham.
Earlier this year reports showed a rise in assaults in Wakefield Prison.
The Independent Monitoring Board found that HMP Wakefield has experienced significant staff shortages, leading to a "less safe" environment and impacting operations like staff recruitment and security. This shortage is a contributing factor in the rise of assaults.
It comes as a workers' union has warned the increase of violence in prisons across England is "totally out of control".
Figures from the Ministry of Justice show 228 assaults were recorded at Wakefield prison the year to September – up from 222 the year before and the highest figure over the last five years.
Meanwhile, the rate of all assaults in prisons across England increased by 14 per cent last year, while the rate of serious assaults rose by 13 per cent.