The Prison officers' union will today sit down to crunch talks with prison chiefs after the latest attack at Westgate left an officer unconscious.

The Prison Officers Association (POA) slammed the administration for lack of support in the face of escalating violence from inmates.

And POA Chairman Michael Tuzo said prisoners were now preying on officers' vulnerability.

He said: "We view the latest assault on one of our members which occurred on Sunday morning very seriously.

"The POA has never received the support from the Prison administration or Government when these incidents have occurred which has significantly contributed to an increase in incidents of assaults on prison officers.

"This has resulted in an increase in stress and frustration amongst officers."

Prison sources say an officer was assaulted in the kitchen on Sunday morning by an inmate who had pledged to kill an officer. The source said that another inmate had to activate the officer's alarm to summon help.

Last night Mr. Tuzo revealed that officers are to appear in court on charges of assaulting an inmate in a separate incident.

He said: "Although the prison administration see fit to send this incident to court, no-one has put inmates in a court of law for assaulting officers or inmates - something which is very concerning.

"There is a complete erosion of morale in the prison service. Also there is a lack of confidence in the prison administration.

"There have been a few dozen attacks over the last two to three year period. They are more violent, there have been some vicious assaults."

Asked what needed to be done to curb the violent trend Mr. Tuzo said he did not want to go into specifics because he believed the ongoing prison inquiry would bring some resolution.

He said he would be meeting with prison bosses today to hammer out a solution to the current crisis.

Shadow Home Affairs Minister Michael Dunkley said the prison inquiry had dragged on for six or seven months.

He called for the current temporary prison leadership to be replaced with foreign experts to get a grip on the situation.

And Mr. Dunkley urged sending violent prisoners to the UK.

He said: "Send prisoners over there if we don't have the facilities to keep them."

Referring to Sunday's attack Mr. Dunkley said: "This gentleman has attacked three prison officers now.

"Are we waiting for him to kill a prison officer? I hope not.

"This prisoner has made a statement that he intends to it. I would like prison authorities to deny it. hey need to come up with a better way to deal with him and others like that. "He's been out in there for life, he can wreak havoc."

And he said prison officers in Bermuda would also benefit from a spell in the UK to find out how to handle violent offenders.

"We have had a number of attacks on prison officers. It is not acceptable. They have been in fear of their safety on the job.

"You always get incidents like that in prison but not to the extent we have in Bermuda. I have been in that prison and I know a lot of prison officers support me."

Last night Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox and Acting Prisons Commissioner Edwin Wilson could not be reached for comment.

l Prison sources say an inmate broke both his legs trying to escape from the civil prison in Southside on Sunday night.