15/11/2012
Maghaberry Prisoner Had Camera In Watch
A prisoner at Maghaberry jail was discovered to have been wearing a watch with a built-in camera and recording equipment.
The device was discovered by a prison officer on 8 October during a routine search.
The prisoner in question is thought to be a foreign national and will be charged under prison rules.
It is thought the watch can be bought easily online for £100.
The issue was revealed as the result of a question by the DUP’s Lord Morrow to Justice Minister David Ford.
"During a routine search of a prisoner on 8 October 2012 he was found to be wearing a watch which had an inbuilt camera and recording facility. This is a prohibited article and was confiscated by staff," he said.
The news follows the murder of David Black, who worked at Maghaberry, earlier this month.
Mr Black was a prison officer who was gunned down as he drove to work along the M1 on 1 November.
The prisoner who owned the watch was incarcerated in the main area of the prison, not at Roe House where dissident republicans are currently engaged in a dirty protest.
Lord Morrow has called for tighter controls in prisons.
"We have to remember why prisoners are in jail - it is not for any good that they have done, rather for a crime they have committed," he said.
"The murder of David Black demonstrates how vulnerable our prison officers are. We have got to give them as much support as possible. We must deal with issues that potentially put them at risk.
"The fact that this camera was found in a watch makes it worse because it was covert."
"This comes on the day when we learn that a photograph was taken of a prison officer at Londonderry Magistrates' Court on the day that David Black was murdered.
"There needs to be a complete re-think on devices which permit recording, whether it is either audio or visual."
(IT)
The device was discovered by a prison officer on 8 October during a routine search.
The prisoner in question is thought to be a foreign national and will be charged under prison rules.
It is thought the watch can be bought easily online for £100.
The issue was revealed as the result of a question by the DUP’s Lord Morrow to Justice Minister David Ford.
"During a routine search of a prisoner on 8 October 2012 he was found to be wearing a watch which had an inbuilt camera and recording facility. This is a prohibited article and was confiscated by staff," he said.
The news follows the murder of David Black, who worked at Maghaberry, earlier this month.
Mr Black was a prison officer who was gunned down as he drove to work along the M1 on 1 November.
The prisoner who owned the watch was incarcerated in the main area of the prison, not at Roe House where dissident republicans are currently engaged in a dirty protest.
Lord Morrow has called for tighter controls in prisons.
"We have to remember why prisoners are in jail - it is not for any good that they have done, rather for a crime they have committed," he said.
"The murder of David Black demonstrates how vulnerable our prison officers are. We have got to give them as much support as possible. We must deal with issues that potentially put them at risk.
"The fact that this camera was found in a watch makes it worse because it was covert."
"This comes on the day when we learn that a photograph was taken of a prison officer at Londonderry Magistrates' Court on the day that David Black was murdered.
"There needs to be a complete re-think on devices which permit recording, whether it is either audio or visual."
(IT)
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