North prisoners' ombudsman defended

A Northern Ireland Office minister today defended the creation of a dedicated ombudsman to investigate prisoners' complaints.

A Northern Ireland Office minister today defended the creation of a dedicated ombudsman to investigate prisoners' complaints.

The creation of the office was recommended by former prisons controller John Steele after he conducted a review of staff and prisoner safety at Maghaberry, Co. Antrim, in 2003.

The new commissioner, Brian Coulter, will look into the concerns of 1,300 prisoners.

But Prisons Minister Shaun Woodward was forced to justify the appointment when it was put to him that victims of crime do not have their own ombudsman. He said today: "The issue of victims and the issue of prisoners, whilst interrelated, have to be treated separately.

READ MORE

"I see absolutely no reason why Northern Ireland should not have a [prisoner] ombudsman just as England and Wales have one and just as Scotland has one.

"The fact of the matter is that is actually about the whole special place of Northern Ireland and the fact that, if you look historically, there are lots of issues that we have to address."

"There is the issue of victims but there is also the issue of confidence in the prison service itself and I think having an independent prisoner ombudsman is part of building more confidence from the community in the prison service for the long term."

Mr Coulter and his nine staff will be based at Windsor House, Belfast in an office that has cost £650,000 to set up.