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| Jail staff accused over transfers | Jail staff accused over transfers |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Five senior prison managers are to face disciplinary charges after being accused of moving vulnerable inmates between jails ahead of inspections. | |
| The gross misconduct charges come after prisons inspectors found staff at Wandsworth and Pentonville, in London, had worked together to switch inmates. | |
| The Prison Service, which said the aim had been to "manipulate" inspections, is also probing Brixton jail transfers. | |
| Union representatives said the claims were overshadowing "enormous progress". | Union representatives said the claims were overshadowing "enormous progress". |
| The governors of both jails at the time, who have since moved to new positions, and three other senior staff have been charged. | The governors of both jails at the time, who have since moved to new positions, and three other senior staff have been charged. |
| News of the disciplinary charges comes as details of the incidents are published in two reports by chief prisons inspector Dame Anne Owers, who acts as the prisons' watchdog. | |
| Dame Anne said she had come across "irresponsible, pointless and potentially dangerous" prisoner swaps conducted earlier this year, shortly before teams from the Prisons Inspectorate arrived at the jails. | Dame Anne said she had come across "irresponsible, pointless and potentially dangerous" prisoner swaps conducted earlier this year, shortly before teams from the Prisons Inspectorate arrived at the jails. |
| Five prisoners were moved from Wandsworth and six from Pentonville before the inspections in May and June respectively. | Five prisoners were moved from Wandsworth and six from Pentonville before the inspections in May and June respectively. |
| Two of the vulnerable inmates were so distressed they harmed themselves, she reports. | Two of the vulnerable inmates were so distressed they harmed themselves, she reports. |
| Injured inmate | Injured inmate |
| The prisons ombudsman is separately investigating the apparent suicide at Wandsworth of another prisoner, Christopher Wardally. | The prisons ombudsman is separately investigating the apparent suicide at Wandsworth of another prisoner, Christopher Wardally. |
| Prison Service chiefs say his temporary move to Pentonville was not part of the swaps, but the timing of Wandsworth's inspection may have been a factor in his delayed return. | Prison Service chiefs say his temporary move to Pentonville was not part of the swaps, but the timing of Wandsworth's inspection may have been a factor in his delayed return. |
| Dame Anne said the moves at the two prisons led to: | Dame Anne said the moves at the two prisons led to: |
| • Six Pentonville prisoners being taken from the vulnerable inmate unit | • Six Pentonville prisoners being taken from the vulnerable inmate unit |
| • Two swapped Wandsworth inmates missing medical appointments for serious conditions | • Two swapped Wandsworth inmates missing medical appointments for serious conditions |
| • One bloody inmate, injured from a self-inflicted ligature wound on his neck, being taken from his cell in just his underwear | • One bloody inmate, injured from a self-inflicted ligature wound on his neck, being taken from his cell in just his underwear |
| • The same prisoner attempting to harm himself three more times at Pentonville | • The same prisoner attempting to harm himself three more times at Pentonville |
| • Moves being sanctioned despite risks of suicide | • Moves being sanctioned despite risks of suicide |
| "Sadly for the many staff and managers who had worked hard to improve the two prisons, their efforts will inevitably be overshadowed by these events," she said. | "Sadly for the many staff and managers who had worked hard to improve the two prisons, their efforts will inevitably be overshadowed by these events," she said. |
| "The inspections will be remembered for the unacceptable attempts, at managerial level, to subvert the inspection process at the expense of prisoners' well-being. | "The inspections will be remembered for the unacceptable attempts, at managerial level, to subvert the inspection process at the expense of prisoners' well-being. |
| "This is deplorable, not only because of the effects on individuals, but because of the underlying mind-set that prisoners are merely pieces to be moved around the board to meet performance targets or burnish the reputation of the prison." | "This is deplorable, not only because of the effects on individuals, but because of the underlying mind-set that prisoners are merely pieces to be moved around the board to meet performance targets or burnish the reputation of the prison." |
| 'Excessive pressure' | 'Excessive pressure' |
| Justice Secretary Jack Straw is expected to make a Commons statement on Dame Anne's reports later. | Justice Secretary Jack Straw is expected to make a Commons statement on Dame Anne's reports later. |
| He said the "self-defeating" transfers had ignored one of the Prison Service's primary responsibilities - to treat inmates with decency and care. | He said the "self-defeating" transfers had ignored one of the Prison Service's primary responsibilities - to treat inmates with decency and care. |
| A departmental investigator was now looking at all transfer logs between prisons classified as local, he said. | A departmental investigator was now looking at all transfer logs between prisons classified as local, he said. |
| That the purpose of this practice was to seek to manipulate the... inspection process is reprehensible Phil Wheatley, Prison Service head | That the purpose of this practice was to seek to manipulate the... inspection process is reprehensible Phil Wheatley, Prison Service head |
| "This data should give a clear indication of any short-term transfers out and back to prisons around the time of inspections," Mr Straw said. | "This data should give a clear indication of any short-term transfers out and back to prisons around the time of inspections," Mr Straw said. |
| "The chief inspector of prison's research department will be able to comment on and examine the process and findings." | "The chief inspector of prison's research department will be able to comment on and examine the process and findings." |
| Phil Wheatley, head of the Prison Service, said the transfers had been completely unacceptable and without any legitimate reason. | Phil Wheatley, head of the Prison Service, said the transfers had been completely unacceptable and without any legitimate reason. |
| "That the purpose of this practice was to seek to manipulate the... inspection process is reprehensible," said Mr Wheatley. | "That the purpose of this practice was to seek to manipulate the... inspection process is reprehensible," said Mr Wheatley. |
| "As soon as I learned of this issue, I initiated a full investigation into what happened at Wandsworth and Pentonville, as a result of which a number of staff now face disciplinary proceedings under the Prison Service's Code of Conduct." | "As soon as I learned of this issue, I initiated a full investigation into what happened at Wandsworth and Pentonville, as a result of which a number of staff now face disciplinary proceedings under the Prison Service's Code of Conduct." |
| The Prison Governors Association, which represents senior managers within the service, said it was regrettable the story was eclipsing "enormous progress" that had been made at the two sites. | The Prison Governors Association, which represents senior managers within the service, said it was regrettable the story was eclipsing "enormous progress" that had been made at the two sites. |
| It said: "Whilst fully supporting our members in addressing any charges that they face, we will make no further comment at this time which may prejudice formal proceedings. | It said: "Whilst fully supporting our members in addressing any charges that they face, we will make no further comment at this time which may prejudice formal proceedings. |
| "The association believes that, in common with other senior public servants, the current target culture places excessive pressure on prison governors at a time when budgets are being cut." | "The association believes that, in common with other senior public servants, the current target culture places excessive pressure on prison governors at a time when budgets are being cut." |