Pepper spray use at young offender institutions in England ruled legal

Howard League charity fails in battle to halt government's decision to make Pava available to prison staff

An attempt to halt the use of pepper spray on children held in young offender institutions (YOIs) has failed after the high court ruled on Monday that the weapon's rollout was lawful.

The Howard League for Penal Reform challenged the Labour government's decision to authorise the use of Pava, a synthetic form of pepper spray, in three prisons in England holding boys as young as 15.