BULLINGDON Prison near Bicester has started paying cash bonuses to convicts attending rehabilitation and anger management sessions, despite prison officers’ protests.

Inmates are already compelled to attend the classes to secure early release, but now Bullingdon, which holds criminals sentenced at Oxford Crown Court, has started paying £5 for each time they attend.

The initiative to improve prisoners’ behaviour was launched last Thursday by prison governor Andy Lattimore.

While prisons have been allowed to make such payments before, the Prison Officers’ Association said it was the first time it was aware of inmates being paid to go to the classes.

Spokesman Glyn Travis said the idea was “absolutely appalling”.

He said: “The prison officers in Bullingdon are incensed.

“They went to senior officers in the prison and asked them to rescind it, but were refused. The staff were very angry.

“As far as we are aware, it is the only place to go out and do this as a means of getting people on to these courses, which they have got to attend anyway to get released.”

He said officers were angry that prisoners at the 1,000-inmate jail were getting a perk funded by the taxpayer when thousands of Prison Service employees risked losing their jobs because of the impending budget cuts.

The Ministry of Justice has announced it will implement £2bn of cuts in its £9bn budget, leading unions to warn up to 15,000 people could lose their jobs.

Mr Travis said: “Prisoners seem to be exempt from the cuts. They are getting privileges that are deemed to be cushy, while prison staff are facing more dangerous prisons because of budget cuts.”

Prison Service spokesman Georgina Mear said: “Under Prison Rules, convicted prisoners are required to work and are encouraged to participate in education and to attend courses designed to address their offending behaviour.

“Those who refuse to work do not receive any pay.”

She said the payment encouraged and rewarded participation in the prison regime, helping them to lead a stable life, get a job, and avoid re-offending on release.