“...the last two visits we have Time to been told to stand on the line with our hands behind our take backs and to let the dogs jump up on us” politics out Kerry - a prisoner’s wife Mailbag // page 7 of prisons “the planning and carrying Erwin James talks to Lord out of the job were the National Newspaper for Prisoners & Detainees Premiership, the afters and Woolf as he steps down getaway plan were strictly a voice for prisoners since as chair of the Prison Sunday pub league” April 2016 / Issue No. 202 / www.insidetime.org / A ‘not for profi t’ publication / ISSN 1743-7342 Reform Trust Noel Smith An average of 60,000 copies distributed monthly Independently verifi ed by the Audit Bureau of Circulations Comment // page 15 Comment // page 24 Prisons: A New Direction Slash and burn policy will place education and work l More time out of cell l Increased use of ROTL skills at the heart of the Justice Secretary’s vision for l Governor’s discretion to design IEP scheme l IPP prisoners to have ‘clear paths to exit’ a more effective and humane prison system l Fewer Recalls In this exclusive and historic interview Michael Gove MP reveals how he was ‘shocked’ by everything he saw during one prison visit and explains that among the fundamental changes he intends to introduce are autonomy for Governors and prison league tables. An avid reader of Inside Time, he also tells of his high regard for “the unvar- nished truth” he reads each month in our universally popular Mailbag section. Rachel Billington It was while visiting library was, shocked also by Wormwood Scrubs prison in the fact that the group of pris- London that Justice Secretary oners I was talking to had Michael Gove learned first- some very articulate young hand about the needs of many men who clearly had a poten- of the people in our prisons. tial who no-one had ever es- At that time he was still pecially cared about before- Education Secretary. ‘I was hand and their biggest shocked by everything about frustration now was that they it. I was shocked by the dirt didn’t have the chance to © prisonimage.org and the squalor. I was shocked learn.’ at how poor the facilities were, Justice Secretary Michael Gove MP speaking at the Howard League AGM in November 2015 shocked how empty the Continues on page 14 Crime Appeals Prison Law Unhappy with your solicitor? Transfer Head of Department—Jo Davidson your case now. CONVICTED OF JOINT ENTERPRISE? ‹ cm ‹ Legally Aided Services Fixed Fees (from £150.00) The supreme court ruling in the case of R v Jogee We are leading Defendant Solicitors in: NJGD>D OJMN could mean that you now have grounds for appeal. Parole Guittard Application Contact us urgently for our expert lawyers to Murder/Manslaughter/Attempted Murder Pre-tariff Review assess your case. Re-call EMAP Terrorism Re-cat Reviews Adjudication Conspiracy Cases: Drugs, murder, grooming, robbery, firearms, The country’s leading experts in Representation against return to human trafficking & others serious, complex and high profile appeals. Sentence Calculation closed condition We have represented clients on some of the most complex Serious Assault & Torture and high profile crime and appeals cases in recent years POCA Transfers Gang Crime: Firearm Offences, Extortion, Torture including: HDC Serious Sexual Offences & Historic Sexual Offences R v Barry George (Jill Dando case), Registered with Robbery R v Levi Bellfield (Milly Dowler case) › › Dedicated prisoner hotline: 0161 833 9253 Manchester Office: 13 St John Street, Manchester, M3 4DQ Website: www.cmsolicitors.co.uk where lients atter Freephone: 0800 1 444 111 London Office: 15 Old Bailey, London, EC4M 7EF Video link: Nationwide service 2 Mailbag ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton SO30 2GB. Insidetime April 2016 insidetime Star Letter of the Month What are the Wonderful Prisoners a voice for prisoners since 1990 Congratulations to this months winner who receives our £25 advantages of prize Advice Service the national newspaper for prisoners published by Inside Time Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Category Ian Suter - HMP Hatfield The New Bridge Foundation, founded in 1956 to 54 months in complete isolation create links between the offender and the C prisons? In September 2013, I was sentenced to 6 community. Anonymous - HMP Isis Peter South - years Extended Determinate Sentence (EDS), A not for profi t publication. for offences of Section 18 wounding, affray I was reading an article regarding the recently released HMP Stafford and possession of an offensive weapon, at Inside Time is wholly responsible for its editorial Guantanamo Bay detainee Shaker Aamer and his allegations content. Comments or complaints should be of torture in the presence of a British MI5 agent. I was Having spent time in 3 Leeds Crown Court. I was sentenced to 6 directed to the publisher and not to New Bridge. intrigued to read the official British response, which was that Category B prisons, man- years custodial with 4 years extended license, in all a sentence of 10 years. Board of Directors they do not agree with or condone, and I quote ‘cruel, aged by 3 different provid- inhumane or degrading’ treatment or behaviour. ers, I was recently given my In September 2015, I had my first Cat D Trevor Grove Former Editor Sunday Telegraph, Category C and subsequent- Journalist, Writer and serving Magistrate. Since 2010 my brother has been held as a CSC prisoner, ly moved here to HMP review, which was unsuccessful. On my Dr Peter Bennett Trustee, New Bridge excluding 14 months at Broadmoor Hospital, to date it has Stafford. I was under the appeal OMU upheld the original decision of Foundation and former Governor of HMP Grendon been 54 months in complete isolation. In this time he has impression, or should that the board, stating ‘You are currently just Geoff Hughes Former Governor of HMP Belmarsh been unable to integrate with a single person and for the vast be under the illusion, that under 4 years off your release date. PSI John D Roberts Former Company Chairman and majority of this time he has been escorted for his daily 30 life in a Category C prison 40/2011 states that the maximum period you Managing Director employing ex-offenders minutes exercise, 10 minute shower and 10 minute phone call might be a little more should be in open prison is 2 years.’ Louise Shorter Former producer, BBC Rough Justice Alistair H E Smith BSc FCA Chartered Accountant, surrounded by 8-10 officers dressed in full riot gear including comfortable than in Trustee and Treasurer, New Bridge Foundation shields. All this while handcuffed. Category B. How wrong I In October 2015 I instructed a solicitor to assist was. me with my Cat D refusal. I was instructed to The Editorial Team My brother has had no access to any meaningful activities appeal against my earliest possible release whatsoever. He has had his legal paperwork tampered with, Whilst I fully understand date which was September 2017. much of his personal property deliberately broken or ‘go that many of the privileges missing’ and been assaulted by officers many, many times. we have are just that, and Having spent 2 years at HMP Wealstun can be taken away at any adhering to the prison regime and using my Whilst at Broadmoor Hospital he was diagnosed with severe time, should we not have time in a purposeful manner, I remained mental health issues such as paranoid psychosis, paranoid more privileges in Category adjudication free and as an enhanced delusional disorder and Asperger’s syndrome. Nobody C than in Category B? Here prisoner. Furthermore, I have a proven track Erwin James John Roberts Rachel should have to spend 4 years 6 months in segregation, let at Stafford I have not found record of trustworthiness. However, I was Editor in Chief Publisher and Billington OBE alone someone with extreme mental health issues. Is this not one single aspect of the regime still unsuccessful. Director Associate Editor ‘cruel, inhumane and degrading’? that is not actually worse than a Category B prison. We I was entitled to re-categorisation according Offi ce Manager ‘Staff using physical violence’ have less association, less to PSI 11.2, 11.21-226A or 226B, so why was Lucy Forde days in the week available there no progression? I had taken my Administration Ryan Humpage - HMP Preston for visits, shorter visit times, application to OMU, personal officer, legal Sonia Miah less visits available. We have system, Probation and the prison system. So Layout & Design I would like to know if it’s acceptable for prison staff to punch to wear jeans on a visit, we who could help me? As it turns out I found Colin Matthews can’t use the courtesy locks Noel Smith Paul Sullivan us in the face and kick us in the stomach several times when all my luck in one day. Website Design on cell doors, we don’t have Commissioning Reporter they restrain us. When I got restrained I was punched in the and Advertising face and kicked while on the floor and I think this is wrong. a key, the showers are the Editor Gary Bultitude I was fortunate enough to meet a prisoner Why do they think they can violently assault us and beat us up communal type, no cubicles who works for St Giles Trust who agreed that so no privacy, less access to Correspondence in the segregation unit? I was told by a member of staff - ‘We I should be re-categorised. Within a month I can do what the fuck we like to you, nobody comes down here’.