APPENDIX 2
Memorandum submitted by the Northern Ireland
Prison Service
On 8 September 2003, the Government formally
accepted the recommendations of the Steele Review of Safety at
HMP Maghaberry. The review recommended that republican and loyalist
paramilitary prisoners should be accommodated separately from
each other, and from the rest of the prison population, on a voluntary
basis.
BACKGROUND
Following the early release of prisoners as
a result of the Good Friday Agreement and the consequent closure
of Maze Prison in September 2000, the Northern Ireland Prison
Service embarked on a "normalisation" programme.
Maghaberry Prison became the largest prison
in Northern Ireland and the only prison equipped to deal with
high risk and long term prisoners.
Maghaberry Prison was opened in 1986 as a fully
integrated, working prison. As part of the normalisation process,
and because there were very few terrorist prisoners remaining
in the system, Maghaberry continued to operate a fully integrated
regime where all prisoners, regardless of their community background,
were expected to mix freely. Clearly, careful account has always
been taken in regard to individual prisoners who may have been
at significant risk as to where they could be accommodated safely
and in some cases, where the risk was considered too high, individual
prisoners were separated from the rest of the population. This
system was maintained and operated with a reasonable degree of
success.
The first signs of agitation by dissident republicans
for segregation came in August 2001 after loyalists assaulted
a high profile dissident prisoner followed by at least one other
assault on a high profile dissident republican. A series of attacks
on prison officer's homes started around January 2002. In April
2002, a co-ordinated campaign aimed at securing the temporary
release of a dissident republican prisoner to see his ailing grandson
heightened awareness of the separation issue. In August 2002,
prisoners, both loyalist and republican prisoners in Maghaberry,
refused to attend work for one day. Although no specific reason
was given at the time, it is thought this action was designed
to further highlight the calls for segregation.
Other significant incidents included:
— 27 February live rounds of ammunition
exploded after being placed in toaster in Bush House.
— March more live rounds of ammunition
exploded in toaster in Roe House. In response a search was carried
out and a detonator was discovered hidden in the leg of an ironing
board.
— Postal bomb sent to Security Office
in Maghaberry, defused by ATO.
— 27-28 June: 8 prisoners from different
backgrounds colluded in gaining access to a prison roof.
— w/c 30 June: 37 cells were damaged
to some extent.
— 1 July four dissident republicans
begin smearing excreta around their cells. A varying number of
prisoners continued this protest until 8 August 2003.
— 2 July 2003 a group of between 20-30
protestors calling for segregation for dissident republicans,
gained access to an office belonging to the Prison Service in
Dundonald House.
— 6 July: Around 30-40 protestors attempted
to throw fireworks into the prison before setting fire to tyres
at the prison gates. This action stopped all movement in the prison
disrupting visits.
— 7 August: At approximately 3:30pm
three prisoners gained access to the roof of Bush House and one
prisoner accessed the roof of Roe House. At the same time a suspect
device were reported in each house and were later declared to
be hoaxes. The incident concluded on 10 August 2003.
— 10 August: A number of visitors made
allegations to the media that they had been "beaten stupid"
in Maghaberry Prison. The Prison Service confirmed that there
was an incident in visits during which 3 visitors refused to comply
with standard search procedures and were asked to leave the prison.
— 26 August: Dissident republican supporters
claim to the media that two of their prisoners had been viciously
assaulted by loyalists. Claims were made that a gun was held to
the head of one of the prisoners but jammed and that a tin of
food wrapped in a sock was used in the assault. The Northern Ireland
Prison Service confirms that two prisoners were assaulted in Maghaberry
at around 8:45am. Injuries were minor and there was no evidence
of a gun. A full search of the area was carried out.
— 6 September—thought to be end
of dirty protest. Around 25 prisoners had been involved in the
ongoing protest at some point.
— 7 September—approx 400 demonstrators
protested at Maghaberry main gate in support of Loyalist prisoners
seeking separation.
— 18 September: There was a potentially
serious incident in Maghaberry Prison this morning, when loyalist
prisoners sought to intimidate staff and obtain their keys. In
order to facilitate the work required to implement the Steele
Review, a number of prisoners were to be transferred to Magilligan.
Loyalist prisoners in Bann House sought to prevent these transfers
by trying to take control of the block.
— 1 October—suspected Loyalist
attacks overnight on Prison Officers. Cars belonging to two prison
officers were petrol bombed and an elaborate hoax device was found
under the car of another.
— 7 October—two further attacks
on prison officers and their families.
— 10 October—prison officer's
car set on fire and shot fired at home of retired prison officer.
In the first six months of 2003, the Prison
Service received notification from the PSNI of six threats to
Prison Service staff. From July 2003 to date, the Service received
notification from PSNI of 14 threats to staff.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE:
On 5 August, the Government announced setting
up of a team, led by John Steele, to look at the safety of staff
and prisoners in Maghaberry (press release at Annex A).
The Steele Review was published on 8 September
(Annex B)[1].
The Government accepted the recommendations (Annex C—Press
release and written Ministerial statement).
CURRENT POSITION:
It is going to take some time to finalise the
arrangements for separation so as a temporary measure Maghaberry
have moved a number of prisoners, sentenced and remand, Republican
(23) and Loyalist (21) to a wing based regime although space is
limited.
This arrangement is temporary and will end when
the permanent accommodation and regime for holding prisoners separately
is put in place. Nothing introduced now as a temporary measure
should be regarded as a precedent.
This interim arrangement should remove from
the integrated regime those who have refused to co-operate and
have caused such disruption. The rest of the prison will run a
normal, uninterrupted regime offering prisoners the opportunity
to take full advantage of all the facilities available to them.
For other prisoners who wish to be separated,
both at Maghaberry and elsewhere, they will be able to apply at
a later stage when the final be accommodation and regime are in
place.
CAPITAL WORKS:
Work has begun in Bush to enhance the physical
security of the block. This work will include the installation
of extra cameras, grilles and turnstiles as well as metal detection
arches.
Screening in Maghaberry's staff car park has
started and should be completed in around four weeks.
Additional measures are being taken in all the
houses at Maghaberry to enhance staff safety and security of staff
such as additional grilles, camera coverage and improved stand-alone
radio communications.
STAFF:
A detailed staffing plan is in the process of
being drawn up and discussed between the Maghaberry Management
team and Finance & Personnel Directorate. Staff Associations
have been formally notified of the requirement to recruit non-prison
grade staff to free up prison officers for prisoner contact posts.
PRISONER REGIME:
Consultation on a prisoner compact, as recommended
by Steele, has taken place in Maghaberry and public consultation
should begin shortly.
Ministers have already agreed in principle to
the reintroduction of loss of remission. A range of other proposals
will be brought forward shortly which are likely to include:
— Transfer of prisoners to other jurisdictions.
— New offences against prison discipline
— Preventing the wearing of paramilitary
style uniforms by prisoners.
— Enhancement of current penalties
available to Governors.
OMBUDSMAN:
Work is continuing on developing a proposal
for a Prisoner Ombudsman as recommended by Steele. At this stage,
consideration is being given to the establishment of an administrative
scheme which would not require legislation.
OTHER:
A Training Needs Analysis has been carried out
at Maghaberry and has now been submitted to the Governor and his
management team.
One of Steele's recommendations was that constructive
relationships should be built with political and other groups
representing the interests of prisoners. To this end, three meetings
have been held with outside organisations. William Smith of the
PUP (15 September), Marion Price (17 September) and representatives
of the UPRG, Frankie Gallagher, Frank McCoubrey and Tommy Kirkham)
on 3 October. Notes of these meetings have been circulated to
the Governing Governors.
Regular weekly newsletters are issued to all
staff notifying them of significant progress and developments.
10 October 2003
1 See Appendix 1, page 1. Back
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