VIOLENT attacks on inmates have soared by 50 per cent at Doncaster Prison in the last year, according to new figures.
The figures come just two weeks after a man who was left brain-damaged by an attack in the prison gym while on remand was cleared of charges he had been facing when the assault happened.
The jail at Marshgate has seen the number of attacks on prisoners by other inmates shoot up from 127 for 2007-08 to 193 in 2008-09, according to figures revealed by the Liberal Democrats taken from parliamentary questions.
Lindholme also saw a slight rise from 52 in 2007-08 to 57, while at Moorland they rose from 91 to 86.
The Lib Dems claim violence is rising because of more doubling-up in cells but at Doncaster the figure for prisoners doubling up actually fell from 726 to 704.
Doubling up rose from 89 to 106 at Lindholme and 69 to 73 at Moorland.
Violence in the prison was highlighted when Ainsley Kenneth Ellis was left brain-injured by an attack by inmate Javid Gholami in July 2008.
Sheffield Crown Court heard Gholami set about Mr Ellis, of Briendburg Court, Pitsmoor, to avoid being deported from the UK.
He slashed Mr Ellis' throat with a piece of glass, before slamming a gym weight on his head.
A jury found Mr Ellis had not conspired to possess a gun and, on the direction of the judge, returned a judgment he had not been involved in possessing cannabis with intent to supply.
Mr Ellis has been left unable to speak and can walk only with a stick .
But a spokesman for HMP Doncaster said: "While these figures contain relatively minor incidents where no injuries are sustained, we are not complacent.
"We have introduced a new violence reduction strategy, backed up by dedicated managers, to manage and engage with violent offenders. These steps will help ensure we provide a safe and secure environment for prisoners, staff and visitors."
Liberal Democrat shadow cabinet office minister Jenny Willott said: "A life of violence inside means little chance of a life away from violence and crime when prisoners are released.
"We are on the rocky road towards American-style mass incarceration and a pandemic of violence inside our prisons.
"Ministers must take immediate steps to reduce the prison population by moving the mentally ill and drug addicts into more appropriate accommodation."
Doncaster Central MP Rosie Winterton, whose constituency includes the prison, dismissed claims of a pandemic as "scaremongering".
She said: "Prisoner-on-prisoner attacks are very serious and it is important that we pay tribute to the dedication of prison officers who work so hard.
"The Government are also working hard to tackle the difficult issues of drugs and mental health in prisons.
"These are hard issues which require a sensible and proportionate consideration. Sadly we don't get that from the Lib Dems who talk about slashing the prison population without any serious explanation of how they'd deal with those freed from prison.
"We have ensured that there are enough prison places for the most dangerous, serious and persistent offenders, and come up with innovative policies to divert those who can be dealt with elsewhere."
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