Maghaberry Prison: Officer says jail practices 'crazy'

A team of more than 20 inspectors spent almost two weeks assessing conditions at Maghaberry Prison

A serving prison officer at Maghaberry jail has described practices inside the jail as "crazy".

He was speaking after a report into the jail found it was in a "state of crisis".

Inspectors who visited the County Antrim prison in May found it was "unsafe and unstable" for prisoners and staff.

The report said there were also significant failures in leadership.

Speaking anonymously, the officer raised concerns over staff shortages and restraining inmates.

"Landings are running with two officers for 50 prisoners and posts are being stood down all over the prison," he told the BBC's Evening Extra.

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"For example in the pods it's just one person to do all the movement around the house - to issue out the passes and make sure prisoners are going for their appointments as well as controlling all the grilles and doors.

"Sometimes you have a safer cell that you need to check every 15 minutes on the camera as well, and write down what they are doing.

"It's supposed to be at least two people, I mean it's even laid out for two people - the computer and passes are all on one side for somebody to do, while the cameras and movement buttons are on the other side of the pod.

"All day you're just running from one side of the pod to the other to keep up - it's crazy."

The prison officer said staff shortages meant they could not use recommended prisoner restraint techniques.

"Our control and restraint is taught using three people. Everything is done with three people but they are only putting two of us on the landings, so the control and restraint seriously loses its effectiveness.

"From personal experience, I have been restraining a prisoner and I have had to rely on another prisoner to press the alarm because there is nobody else to do it.

"Two of us are wrestling a prisoner and even when you get them restrained, you can't just get up and walk to the alarm.

"It's happened a hell of a lot of occasions around all the houses."

Stormont Justice Minister David Ford has said steps have been taken to improve standards inside the jail.