22A.—(1) Subject to this section, a prison officer may use any weapon —
(a)
against an inmate of any approved centre escaping or attempting to escape;
(b)
against any person who does any act or attempts to do any act to facilitate the escape of an inmate of any approved centre;
(c)
against any person engaged in any attempt to damage or force or break open —
(i)
the outside door or gate or enclosure wall of any approved centre or any other part of an approved centre; or
(ii)
any part of any vehicle in which an inmate is conveyed.
(2) A prison officer may use any weapon —
(a)
on an inmate of any approved centre engaged in any combined outbreak; and
(b)
on any person engaged in any attempt to damage or force or break open —
(i)
the outside door or gate or enclosure wall of any approved centre or any other part of an approved centre; or
(ii)
any part of any vehicle in which an inmate is conveyed,
and may continue to use the weapon so long as the combined outbreak or attempt is actually being prosecuted.
(3) Every prison officer may use weapons against an inmate of any approved centre using violence against any prison officer or other person, if the prison officer has reasonable ground to believe that the prison officer or other person is in danger of life or limb, or that other grievous hurt is likely to be caused to either of them.
(4) A prison officer shall not resort to the use of any weapon under subsection (1) unless the officer has reasonable ground to believe that he cannot otherwise prevent the escape of any inmate.
(5) Before using any firearm against an inmate or other person referred to in subsection (1), the prison officer shall give a warning to the inmate or that other person, as the case may be, that he is about to fire on him.
(6) No prison officer shall, in the presence of his superior officer, use any firearm against an inmate or other person in the circumstances described in subsection (1) or (2) except under the orders of his superior officer.
(7) The use of weapons under this section shall be, as far as possible, to disable and not to kill.
(8) Every police officer who is for the time being serving in the capacity of an escort, or of a guard in or around any approved centre, for the purpose of ensuring the safe custody of any inmate, shall be deemed to have all the powers and privileges granted to a prison officer under this section.