New governor for Maghaberry Prison

Published Friday, 03 July 2009
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A prison governor from England is to be brought in to Maghaberry Prison following the transfer of its former boss over the suicide of an inmate.

The Northern Ireland Prison Service said that Steve Rodford, 50, currently governor of Whitemoor Prison in Cambridgeshire, will take over at the Co Antrim jail on July 20.

A new Deputy Governor, Alan Craig, has been moved in as his No 2 from a post at Prison Service headquarters in Belfast.

The former governor Alan Longwell and his deputy Steve Davis, were removed from their posts after a damning report into the death of an inmate who hanged himself in his cell last August.

Mr Rodford takes over at a time of unrest in the prison.

Prison warders voted earlier this week to step up industrial action over disciplinary measures taken against some of their number, including some who were not on duty at the time of the inmate's death.

Mr Rodford said he fully appreciated the scale of the challenge which lay ahead for him but that it was a challenge he was looking forward to.

"My over-riding priority is to ensure that there is a culture of accountability and care right across the prison regime at Maghaberry and I hope that the experience I have gained at Whitemoor and elsewhere in my prison career will stand me in good stead," he said.

© Press Association
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1 Comments
Robert in Ards wrote (1,054 days ago):
Isn't it ironic that two men hounded over one suicde are being relaced by a Governor who had five sucides in one year while at Whitemoor Prison???????
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