Prisoners transferred to new jail

The move from Victoria Road began early in the morning

The Isle of Man's entire prison population has been transferred to a new £41.7m jail at Jurby.

A large security operation was mounted, using extra prison officers called in from Liverpool, to move the 90 inmates from the Victoria Road prison.

Police escorts helped move the prison vans through any traffic for the journeys, which started early on Thursday, through to the afternoon.

Sniffer dogs and airport-style security measures were used to check inmates.

Adrian Earnshaw MHK, Minister for Home Affairs, said: "This was a large-scale operation that required a substantial amount of strategic and logistical planning.

"The fact that everything progressed so smoothly is testament to the high degree of planning and the professionalism of the staff involved.

"This move represents the final phase of one of the Government's largest capital projects and the dawning of a new era in the provision of secure custody in the Isle of Man."

The new prison has 138 cells

The move has been delayed by a prison officers' dispute over travel expenses to Jurby.

Two specialist vehicles were brought into the island by a security firm to help in the move.

Prison governor Alison Gomme said: "Transferring an entire prison population does not happen anywhere else so we had no established guidelines to work to.

"We had to put the planning in place ourselves and it has required a huge effort on behalf of the staff, many of whom volunteered to come in on their day off to assist.

"It will take time to settle into a new environment, but Jurby prison is a facility the Isle of Man can be proud of."

The new prison has 138 cells and was officially opened in April this year.