Inmate wants festive hats banned

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A prisoner is calling for a ban on prison officers wearing festive hats at Christmas.

Jamie Chapman said that officers in Father Christmas-style headgear "rubbed salt in the wounds" for inmates missing relatives over the festive season.

Mr Chapman, at Onley Prison, near Rugby in Warwickshire, made his comments in a letter to a newspaper for inmates.

He said it was "the last thing prisoners want to see" when they leave their cells on Christmas Day morning.

He added: "Would it be possible to get a blanket ban on prison officers wearing those silly Father Christmas hats they tend to don at this time of year?

'This is ludicrous'

"Mostly we are away from family and friends on this so-called season of good cheer and it's just rubbing salt into an already deep wound having to witness officers wearing silly hats."

Brian Caton, general secretary of the Prison Officers' Association, said: "This is ludicrous. I think it's a little bit morbid at a time of year when we do our best to lighten things up a bit.

"We have a great deal of sympathy with the vast majority of prisoners at this time of year.

"If they want to stay out of it and not take part in any of the lighter activities we set up then they are free to just stay in their cells."

A HM Prison Service spokeswoman said it recognised the festive season could be difficult for inmates and efforts were made to minimise distress.

She added: "Each prison carefully plans the Christmas period taking into account staffing levels, the needs of individual prisoners and budget considerations.

"Decisions regarding provisions for Christmas and the regime are a local matter and are at the discretion of the governor."