PRISON officers blamed government cuts and understaffing today after a watchdog found shocking conditions and rising violence at Pentonville prison in London.

HMP Pentonville is one of the country’s oldest and busiest jails housing more than 1,000 men — despite having a maximum capacity of less than 700.

A new report released today by prisons inspectors revealed a 10 per cent rise in violence and a 30 per cent increase in attacks on staff, despite recommendations for action last year.

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Peter Clarke said he was “so concerned” with the results that he had written to Justice Secretary Robert Buckland.

In August, Mr Clarke warned violence fuelled by gangs, drugs, debt and “volatile young prisoners” had increased “markedly” at Pentonville.

Mr Clarke said that he found “little evidence of positive improvement” and violence had “once again risen” at the prison.

Volunteers appointed by justice ministers to scrutinise prison conditions claimed government neglect “directly contributed” to an “alarming rise” in violence and drugs at the jail.

Prison Officers Association (POA) national executive member Dave Cook said “the majority of the issues at Pentonville can be directly attributed to the lack of operational prison staffing.”

He said: “The POA has maintained serious concerns over the retention and recruitment of staff noting that HMP Pentonville had gone from being one of the best establishments for the retention of prison officers to one of the worst.

“HMP Pentonville, has suffered with a lack of investment and neglect in all areas. Only significant investment and focused management commitment is likely to achieve the improvements identified by the inspectorate.”

Howard League for Penal Reform chief executive Frances Crook said: “The solution begins with a commitment to scrap short sentences and put fewer people behind bars.

“By reducing demand on prisons like Pentonville, we can start to turn lives around, protect staff, and make London safer.”

Inspectors are due to review Pentonville’s conditions again in November.

Prisons Minister Lucy Frazer said: “We’ve taken immediate action to improve HMP Pentonville by appointing a new governor and giving the prison intensive support through our new performance programme.

“I am confident this will stabilise the prison through additional staff, enhanced training and X-ray-style security to reduce the illicit drugs which drive violence.”