Report Slams Jail As Among UK's Worst

A Co Antrim prison is one of the worst in the UK - and one of the most expensive to run - according to a new report.

Maghaberry has been heavily criticised by independent inspectors who sprang a surprise visit to the jail earlier this year.

Things are so bad they have listed 200 ways to make the jail better and called for urgent action and better safety procedures.

After the visit to the jail in January the officials called it one of the UK's worst performing prisons.

The damning visit came six months after an inmate hanged himself while he was supposed to be under supervision in a specialist unit.

The report by Criminal Justice Inspection NI and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons, which was published on Tuesday, said Maghaberry was one of three jails out of 169 inspected which was particularly poor in the area of safety.

It said the jail failed to meet standards in all four of the internationally recognised tests for prisoner welfare.

Dr Michael Maguire, Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland, and Dame Anne Owers, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in England and Wales made the findings.

NIO Security Minister Paul Goggins expressed disappointment at the report's findings: "Whilst there are many dedicated and hard working staff at Maghaberry, there is substantial room for improvement and I have already made clear to the new governor that there has to be a step-change in the way the service is delivered at this prison," he said.

Earlier this year, the Prison Ombudsman made a total of 44 recommendations following the suicide of a prisoner at the facility, including scrutiny of the roles of the then prison governor and his deputy.

The ombudsman, Pauline McCabe launched her investigation after the death last August of Colin Bell, who was in a "suicide-watch" cell because he had a history of self-harming.

During the investigation, CCTV footage showed that over a period of 14 minutes, Mr Bell was holding a ligature and made three attempts to hang himself.

His fourth, successful, suicide attempt was made soon afterwards and before this, he had stood in front of the CCTV camera and very deliberately placed the ligature over his head.

He was not spotted until 38 minutes after this final, successful, attempt to hang himself.

See: Prison Suicide Shock As Warders Slept Or Drank Tea

(BMcC/KMcA)