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An ex-offender released from Birmingham Prison as the riots erupted around him said G4S had “lost control” of the jail as drugs took hold of many inmates.

Ricky Wood, who almost died after taking Black Mamba inside the jail, said substance abuse was making prisoners “really unpredictable”.

He said: “It’s changing them in dangerous ways and causing problems with debts and bullying.

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“A mob mentality takes over when trouble breaks out.

“It’s a different world but G4S has lost control of that world.

“Prison officers are being overpowered both physically and psychologically by some of these people.”

Ricky was freed from a 20-week sentence for harassing an ex-partner as the riot broke out last Friday.

His wing was not involved in any of the rioting but it meant he was almost kept inside.

He said: “We were being told that even the staff were being locked in.

“It was pretty clear something major was happening.

“We were hearing bits and bobs of information in our wing and some lads were getting phone calls from some of those involved.”

Staff were forced to flee after the rioters snatched keys, cut through chains and burned documents in the worst prison disorder for more than 20 years.

(Image: @Kennettphoto)

Prisoners who called the Mail from inside the jail said tensions built because low staffing levels meant inmates were denied exercise and gym time.

There were also reports that the prison’s TV aerial had been broken for two days and there were further complaints about the food.

Ricky said: “There are no staff and that completely ruins the routine sometimes.

“The best meal I had in there was on that Friday evening because it didn’t come from the usual kitchens.

“I’m not sure where it came from, and it was very late, but it was sweet and sour chicken.”

The Mail revealed last month that an inmate died after taking a cocktail of drugs on the ‘detox wing’ of Birmingham Prison - including banned former legal high Black Mamba.

Tests showed shoplifter Dean Boland, 30, had also taken FIVE other drugs that had not been prescribed to him.

An official report into the death raised serious concerns about prescribed drugs being exchanged between prisoners and the availability of illicit substances inside the Winson Green jail.

A toxicology report found Mr Boland, who had battled drug addiction from a young age, had traces of Black Mamba in his system, along with a cocktail of prescription drugs that were not his.

He was serving a sentence for shoplifting and was on recall for an earlier burglary offence when he was found unresponsive by his cell mate on April 17 last year.