PRISON chiefs have issued a further statement on the protest at Jurby jail.
iomtoday posed a number of questions after being given different accounts of what went on.
In the initial press release sent out by Home Affairs Minister Juan Watterson MHK it said that the protest – which took place on April 25 – was ‘resolved without use of force’.
In a later statement issued by prison governor Alison Gomme, it said inmates that refused to return to their cells ‘were removed by specially-trained prison staff using approved techniques’.
A partner of one of the inmates involved in the incident – believed to have been over the prison’s smoking ban – claimed that two inmates were placed in ‘holding cells’ with a bucket for a toilet. She believes it would be better to let prisoners smoke to save money on ‘expensive’ nicotine patches, which she said were being abused and could be made into cigarettes.
As well as asking prison chiefs if they were happy with how the incident was handled, we asked for an explanation of the differing accounts given.
In addition, we asked if the Department of Home Affairs would like to comment on the claims made by the inmate’s partner.
DHA chief executive Mark Kelly said: ‘The Department of Home Affairs wishes to clarify a number of points concerning the recent disturbance at the Isle of Man prison in Jurby.
‘The incident was dealt with in the appropriate manner and decisions were taken in the best interests of the staff and vast majority of prisoners. As stated previously, after four hours of negotiation there came a point when further disruption to the established prison regime could no longer be tolerated.
‘Prisoners who refused a subsequent order to return to their cells were removed by specially-trained staff using approved techniques.’
He said: ‘Obviously there are consequences for those who fail to observe prison rules and the 17 prisoners involved in the protest were placed in segregation on a restricted regime.
‘For operational reasons a temporary segregation area was created to hold a small number of prisoners for a limited period.’
The prison operates a no-smoking policy ‘to protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of secondary smoke inhalation’, he said.
Mr Kelly added: ‘In response to issues identified in the 2011 HM Inspectorate of Prisons report, the Department of Home Affairs instigated a review of these arrangements. A decision was taken to continue the no-smoking policy, with a renewed focus on robust enforcement and effective smoking cessation support.
‘The Department of Home Affairs remains fully committed to maintaining good staff-prisoner relationships – an area highlighted in the HMIP report as one of the Isle of Man prison’s “greatest strengths”.’
The Examiner was told that two inmates went to hospital following the protest. The DHA declined to comment on whether this was the case, and if so, what treatment they required.