Inmate repeatedly punches officer, leaving her bloodied, before allegedly dragging her by the hair

A prison officer was punched and dragged by the hair in a brutal jailhouse assault that has raised fears from staff that their human rights are being ignored at the expense of criminals.

The attack happened at the maximum security Metropolitan Remand Centre. Picture: AAP

A female prison officer was punched and dragged by the hair in a brutal jailhouse assault.

Police are investigating the onslaught, in which the victim was attacked as she served food last Wednesday at the maximum security Metropolitan Remand Centre.

Sources said the worker was approached in the Attwood unit and put in a headlock.

The burly inmate then repeatedly punched the officer, leaving her bloodied, before allegedly dragging her by the hair.

Staff at the MRC have told the Herald Sun they feel their human rights are being ignored at the expense of the criminals they work with.

Some in the broader prison workforce say serious assaults are on the increase and that good frontline staff are being lost because they do not feel safe.

“The perception is that the Department of Justice and Community Safety representatives are running a protection racket for society’s most dangerous criminals,” one source said.

In February, five staff were attacked in a prisoner rampage at a staff console in the MRC’s Cambridge unit.

A prisoner with a background of staff assaults tipped faeces over officers at the Attwood unit in November of last year.

A Department of Justice and Community Safety spokeswoman confirmed there had been an incident last Wednesday.

“We take all violence very seriously and refer all allegations of criminal activity and serious incidents to Victoria Police for investigation.