I guarded some of Britain's most notorious prisoners - there were some inmates ... trends now
A retired prison officer who worked in some of Britain's most notorious jails has said the profession is so deadly there are some inmates 'you can't even look at'.
The former screw, who spent years on the wings of HMP Manchester, known as Strangeways, told MailOnline that some staff even had to enter witness protection after 'upsetting the wrong person'.
It comes as chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor warned gang bosses are infiltrating jails by paying people with no criminal record to become prison officers and act as 'sleeper' agents for their drug smuggling operations.
The retired officer claimed that 'anyone' can become a guard because both the public and private sector have failed to carry out adequate checks on new recruits.
But he added that there was a solution to the violent jail crisis - US-style supermax jails.
A retired prison officer has said the job is becoming increasingly dangerous
Picture shows an aerial shot of HMP Manchester, which is also known as Strangeways, where the retired officer spent years working
Chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor warned gang bosses were infiltrating prisons with 'sleeper' agents
Picture shows supermax prison ADX Florence in Colorado. The retired officer recommended the government introduce this type of facility in the UK
He said: 'When I was at Strangeways I discovered my home address and family details were on an easily accessible website.
'I heard of officers who had to enter witness protection after upsetting the wrong person.
'Within the Cat A system there are people who can turn your life upside down. They can and will send people to your front door.
'All the Cat A officers know this and are careful. The odd one slips ups and pays the price.
'There are individuals within the Cat A system that you literally can't look at.
'Even prison governors feel the fear and pressure.'
He suggested the government had to commit building a US style supermax prison system where dangerous offenders were totally isolated.
He said: 'Some of these people too dangerous for any contact with prison officers or anyone else.'
Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor described in a blog how gangs were 'effectively putting a sleeper into a prison – someone who has no criminal record, has no direct connections, and applies for a job as a prison officer'.
These officers would then 'become established and be able to begin to bring drugs into the jail having worked out where the weaknesses are in any security systems in place'.
The former prison officer said he had read about how the gangs recruit 'sleepers' but added that 'it is not really the issue'.
'Yes I have read that gangs are now recruiting individuals with no criminal records to become sleepers in the prison system,' he said.
'But for me that is not really the issue. The prison service has failed to carry out proper checks on recruits for years now.
'I hear of all sorts of people entering the service, with very
