Il sindacato degli agenti carcerari respinge le accuse di non volere cambiamenti a Maghaberry

Prison union hits back at reports

Two independent reviews have described the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) in Maghaberry Jail as unreasonable and an obstacle to change.

The union has rejected the charge and said the management was to blame for problems at the high security jail.

Chairman of the POA in Northern Ireland, Finlay Spratt said prison officers were “up for any change”.

Both reports are connected to the death of Colin Bell, 34, at the jail in July 2008.

Mr Bell was on suicide watch at the time of his death and was meant to be monitored every 15 minutes.

However, some prison officers who were supposed to be watching him were instead watching television.

An inspection team appointed by the government recommended a number of changes to the prison regime last year – and on Thursday they published the findings of a further review.

It noted that some progress had been made – but said there was still too much emphasis on physical security, and that the union in the prison was not working constructively with management to ensure necessary changes took place.

The report said the union told the team they wanted to support change – but on their own terms.

It said it was time for the union to demonstrate maturity and vision by adopting a constructive approach.

Mr Spratt said prison officers were working “38,000 hours with no pay to make sure the regime is delivered for prisoners”.

“We are capable of any change, in fact I suggested to them last year that we really should be sitting down and looking at the service in light of all the reports,” he said.

“Have I heard anything from them – absolutely nothing.”

Investigated

Earlier on Thursday, another independent review highlighted shortcomings in a disciplinary process that led to 10 prison officers being recommended for dismissal.

The officers were investigated following the death of Mr Bell.

Three senior officers were also demoted, two others resigned, and cases against five officers were thrown out.

The 10 officers recommended for dismissal are appealing the ruling.

The review did not conclude that the punishments were wrong.

It was also strongly critical of the Prison Officers’ Association.

The POA is currently operating a work to rule in Maghaberry in protest at disciplinary action against the officers.

The independent review said there were shortcomings in the investigation, which were largely due to a failure by management at Maghaberry to act decisively.

But it said the POA must share the blame for defects in the disciplinary hearings for staff, because it used delaying tactics and made unreasonable demands – including requests for more than 40 witnesses to be called in every case.