Prison denies visitor assaults

A safety review of the prison was announced this week

It has been claimed that three visitors to the high-security Maghaberry Prison in Northern Ireland have been assaulted and detained by prison officers.

Marion Price of the Irish Republican Welfare Association said the men, a brother and two friends of an inmate, were assaulted at the County Antrim jail on Sunday afternoon.

The men were refused entry to the visiting room on Sunday because a sniffer dog sat down in front of one of them.

When the men protested, Ms Price said they were assaulted by prison service staff.

"Apparently the riot squad was sent for and immediately when they arrived they started to beat the three young men."

The prison service confirmed that three visitors were removed from the prison to the reception area when they refused to comply with staff instructions.

However a statement issued by the service denied the men had been assaulted.

"When they refused, the vistiors were removed by prison service staff to visits reception where they were detained by the police," the statement said.

"The Prison Service absolutely refute any allegation of mistreatment of the visitors involved."