Prison staff to refuse overtime

The attacks happened at Maghaberry Prison

Prison officers are to step up their campaign for increased security following attacks on staff in Northern Ireland.

Five members of staff at Northern Ireland's high security Maghaberry prison in County Antrim were assaulted this week.

A series of attacks on homes of serving and former prison officers have been linked to a prisoners' dispute at the jail.

On Friday, Prison Officers' Association chairman Finlay Spratt said staff would refuse to work overtime in a demand for increased security measures at their homes.

Members of staff threatened to strike after two officers were punched and kicked by a prisoner at the Foyle House building on Wednesday and three others were injured in an assault by an inmate on Tuesday.

Full regime

Mr Spratt said: "If we sit back much longer some of our children will be shot or seriously injured."

On Thursday, Mr Spratt said remand and sentenced prisoners were not getting the treatment which they used to get, because of the resources devoted to paramilitary inmates.

"Ordinary prisoners are being locked down while the paramilitary prisoners are enjoying full association (normal regime).

"These prisoners are getting totally frustrated and that is why prison officers are bearing the brunt of their anger," he said.

"Staff are becoming totally frustrated. They are being assaulted on the job owing to the lack of resources."

In a statement, the Prison Service said it was "trying to deliver as full a regime as possible to all prisoners".

However, it added that at the same time it was "actively engaged in getting ready for the full implementation of the Steel Review", which recommended separating paramilitary prisoners.

The director of the Prison Service, Peter Russell, acknowledged that officers had concerns but said a walkout was not the answer.

"Lots of people will have sympathy for the difficult position of prison staff just now.

"Prison staff exercise the authority of the law over prisoners and the law actually forbids prison officers to be on strike so I don't think that is the way out of this difficulty."

The Prison Officers' Association said the issue of security at the jail, as well as the problems of inadequate security at officers' homes, would be on the agenda at a meeting with management on Thursday.

In September, a review of safety at Maghaberry recommended separating republican and loyalist prisoners.

The move was being introduced in the wake of violent clashes between rival groups in the jail and in the face of a "dirty protest" by a group of dissident republican prisoners.

As well as paramilitary prisoners, Maghaberry houses male and female prisoners, whether they are convicted or on remand, and a number of asylum seekers.