Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Chris Slater

Strangeways 'locked down' with prisoners returned to their cells after inmate got onto roof

Strangeways was 'locked down' after an inmate climbed onto the roof, the Manchester Evening News understands.

A prisoner at the high-security jail just outside Manchester city centre, officially known as HMP Manchester, clambered onto the roof and began a protest at around 4:30pm this evening (Wednesday) and at the time of writing has been up there for over six hours.

The M.E.N has now been told that immediately after the protest began a lockdown was initiated with all prisoners being returned to their cells, as is the procedure in such cases.

READ MORE: LIVE: Prisoner spotted on roof of Strangeways prison - latest updates

It is not clear if any restrictions are still in place. The Prison Service declined to comment on the issue. Earlier a spokesman said: "We are working with emergency services to bring the prisoner down safely."

Specialist negotiators have been deployed with police also at the scene and a cordon in place on the streets surrounding the prison where crowds have been gathering.

(Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)

The as-yet unidentified prisoner daubed 'FREE IPPZ' across the roof of the jail, in an apparent dig at a now abolished court sanction titled Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences (IPP). He has also been repeatedly heard shouting 'free IPPs.'

He was earlier seen making a love heart gesture and wearing a makeshift poncho as the rain lashed down. In the last hour he has been seen sat close to a chimney drying his clothes on a metal pole.

The protest came to an end at around 4.30am Thursday morning.

Read more of today's headlines here

READ NEXT:

Strangeways protestor daubs 'FREE IPPZ' on the roof - what the sentence means and why it's so controversial

Prison service issues statement after inmate climbs on roof of Strangeways - what we know so far

Strangeways prisoner 'wearing a binbag' makes love heart gesture to camera as he shouts from rooftop

Violent armed robbers jailed after targeting brothers of Marcus Rashford and Trent Alexander-Arnold

Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.