Prison Service takes over duties

PSNI officers will be replaced at the Laganside Courts complex

The Prison Service is to take over responsibility for prisoners inside Northern Ireland's largest courts complex from the police.

Prisoner Custody Officers supplied by the private sector firm Maybin Support Services will replace PSNI officers at the Laganside Courts complex in Belfast from Monday.

It is expected the Prison Service will complete its takeover of responsibility for prisoners inside all of Northern Ireland's magistrates courts by April 2005.

A Prison Service spokesman said it was part of a move to free up more PSNI officers from front line policing duties.

In the next two weeks, the scheme will be extended to the magistrates courts in Newry, Armagh and Banbridge.

The spokesman said Maybin would initially supply the Prisoner Custody Officers while the Prison Service recruited and trained full-time staff.

"When recruitment and training is complete, Prisoner Custody Officers will also assume the duties currently carried out by prison officers escorting prisoners to courts allowing trained prison officers to be redeployed to prison establishments," said the spokesman.