Pepper spray use at young offender institutions in England ruled legal

A prison officer and inmates at a young offender institution. The rollout of Pava was authorised amid growing demands from the Prison Officers’ Association to protect staff from attacks. Photograph: Matthew Fearn/PA

An attempt to halt the use of pepper spray on children held in young offender institutions (YOIs) has failed after the high court ruled on Monday that the weapon’s rollout was lawful.

The Howard League for Penal Reform challenged the Labour government’s decision to authorise the use of Pava, a synthetic form of pepper spray, in three prisons in England holding boys as young as 15.