A MOTHER said she was ‘distraught and heartbroken’ after video footage was posted online of her ‘vulnerable’ son being punched and beaten inside a prison cell.

The mum, who lives in Whitebirk, said that last week she was shown a 45 second clip of her 29-year-old son, who she describes as having mental health issues, being beaten.

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The clip, seemingly filmed by another prisoner on a mobile phone, was available until the weekend on YouTube on a page called ‘Prison Fights’.

It is understood the footage was filmed inside Buckley Hall prison in Rochdale, sometime last year.

The video, which has been seen by The Lancashire Telegraph, was posted to the site on November 25 and shows the prisoner being punched and verbally abused before he passed out on the floor.

Prison authorities said they had launched an ‘urgent inquiry’ into the incident and will be seeking to punish those involved in the abuse.

The Justice Department has since contacted YouTube, who have now removed the video for ‘violating their policy on harassment and bullying’.

The prisoner who was assaulted is serving an indeterminate sentence for wounding with intent and has been locked up for around five years.

His mother, 48, who does not wish to be named, said: “I was shown the video by my ex-partner and immediately recognised my son.

“It was heartbreaking to see, so distressing, my stomach lurched when I saw it.

“He was obviously scared to death as he was subjected to this abuse.

“It just made me think what else was happening to him around this time and why wasn’t he being protected?

“When I visited him at this time I’d seen him with two black-eyes and it looked like a broken nose.

“When I asked prison staff they said the injuries were self-inflicted.”

The prisoner’s mother spoke with Blackburn MP, Kate Hollern, on Friday.

Mrs Hollern said: “I was very concerned to hear of the circumstances in which this vulnerable offender was violently assaulted and I am making representations to the national offender management service on behalf of his family.”

The prisoner has been transferred to another jail, which his mother believes is safer and more suited to deal with his mental health issues.

A Prison Service spokesman said: “This behaviour is completely unacceptable and the video has now been removed.We are urgently investigating this and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against those involved.”