FOUR Bolton men who masterminded a prison riot which wrecked a flagship jail were back behind bars today.
The quartet were among six ringleaders who led a mob of 60 inmates on a seven-hour rampage through Forest Bank jail in Salford.
It came just one month after Princess Anne had officially opened the privately run jail, dubbed a "Prison for the 21st Century".
Rioters, wearing pillow cases as hoods, seized control of their wing before targeting other inmates -- including a notorious child killer.
Cells were set on fire and furniture smashed up, causing damage of £100,000. The wing at the Catgeory B jail could not be used for 19 days following the riot last July.
It came as inmates protested over the breakdown of their telephone system.
Today prosecutor Andrew O'Byrne told Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court: "The inmates embarked upon an orgy of vandalism.
"Some of them set fires on the wing and threw burning items out of the windows into the yard below.
"They managed to tear a steel staircase and handrail from its mountings and used it as a battering ram to open cell doors."
The court heard that Bolton men Daniel Hennessy and Stuart Brough -- both later sentenced to a total of 23 years for stabbing a heroin addict 17 times -- were involved in the mutiny.
Today Brough, of Gorton Street, Farnworth, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was locked up for an extra six months.
Hennessy, 23, of Valdene Drive, Farnworth was jailed for six months after admitting prison mutiny.
Martin Ward, 22, of Gilnow Gardens, Bolton, who is currently serving four years, was given an extra 12 months for prison mutiny.
Gary Crawshaw, 24, of Valdene Close, Farnworth, was jailed for two years after admitting violent disorder.
Police reinforcements from as far away as Liverpool were called in to secure the perimeter of the jail as the rioters rampaged through the wing.
Eventually inmates surrendered and were removed one at a time from the wing to be relocated to other parts of the prison.
The mob's leader Vincent Clay, 27, from Salford was shot dead in November last year after leaving the prison while awaiting trial for drugs matters. A man is awaiting trial for his murder.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article