'The bigger question is: Why were they protesting in the first place?'

Prison responds to allegations but more questions remain

Prisoners are 'still human beings who have families' and 'they're eventually going to come back into our community'.

That's the message from a source with a connection to the Isle of Man Prison who has joined calls for an independent inquiry into the site.

It follows a protest at the Jurby facility last Tuesday (11 August).

At around 10.30am 13 prisoners refused to leave the exercise yard, at the conclusion of their allotted time.

They didn't return to their cells until almost 12 hours later. 

What happened in the hours between is still unclear. 

The Department of Home Affairs claims the protest was 'peaceful' - something disputed by a number of people Manx Radio has spoken to. 

You can read our full report HERE.

CHALLENGE

Manx Radio has spoken to further sources with a connection to the prison who have joined those challenging the 'official' version of events as described by the DHA and the Isle of Man Prison Service.

The recurring theme has been summarised by one source who says:

"The question shouldn’t be 'why did the prisoners riot?”

"It should be: 'what happened that caused a peaceful protest to reach that point - and why have these problems been allowed to continue for so long?'"

CONCERNS

Manx Radio has been told prisoners were refused water and medication during the incident and that staff were concerned for one prisoner, in particular, because they weren’t being given their medication.

According to our sources windows were smashed, benches damaged and the yard barricaded.

We've also heard prisoners were eventually brought under control through the use of PAVA incapacitant spray - a synthetic pepper spray - but there are allegations that this was deployed when they were complying with orders.

It's also alleged prisoners weren’t offered medical attention afterwards and they were stripped naked and 'thrown' into segregation cells and weren’t able to shower until Thursday - over 24 hours after the incident.

We've also received reports that Manx Radio's Mannin Line programme, which was broadcast live from the prison on 23 July, could have been part of the catalyst for the protest.

It follows assertions made on the programme by the Prison Governor, Leroy Bonnick, that there were no staff issues or staff shortages - something which has left people 'disgruntled'.

You can listen to it HERE.

CALLERS

Not everyone is sympathetic to the prisoners' point of view.

These contributors to Mannin Line (19 August) claimed the protesters were 'not doing themselves any favours in the eyes of the public': 

PRISON RESPONSE

Manx Radio requested an interview with a prison spokesperson on the day of the protest; subsequent requests were made in the days that followed. 

On 19 August, eight days after the incident, Deputy Governor Martin Phillips was put forward by the DHA.

We asked him the questions we had repeatedly sent to the department.

The first statement from the DHA on 11 August said the prison was dealing with a ‘passive incident’, the next said it was a ‘peaceful protest’ - we asked Deputy Governor Phillips: Was the protest peaceful in its entirety?

On the topic of whether food, water and medication were offered throughout Deputy Governor Phillips maintained the DHA's position but confirmed water was cut off to one prisoner's cell on the lower floor:

In relation to prisoners being charged with any offences, as a result of the protest, the Isle of Man Constabulary told Manx Radio: "This incident is being managed by the Isle of Man Prison Service and not by the Isle of Man Constabulary – please direct any media queries to them."

So we asked Deputy Governor Phillips: What is the status now of the inmates who took part?

23 HOURS A DAY?

Manx Radio understands the main issue which sparked the protest last week was the allegation that prisoners are spending up to 23, or more, hours a day in their cells due to low staffing levels.

We repeatedly put the question to Deputy Governor Phillips who said it was 'hard to quantify' how many hours each prisoner was locked up due to individuals being subject to different levels of security. 

For instance, he said, 'a prisoner who is working in the kitchen will be out working in the kitchen all day, whether the wing that that prisoner is from is subject to restrictions [or not]':

STAFFING

The DHA has repeatedly stated that it doesn't comment on prison staffing levels for 'security reasons'.

However on Mannin Line, live from the prison, presenter Andy Wint asked the Prison Governor Leroy Bonnick that very question:

Mr Bonnick told Mr Wint: "We employ 42 officers but that has gone up by another six in terms of the population pressure, in terms of that, to obviously fulfil our role and be able to unlock each day.”

However, a Freedom of Information request submitted by advocate Ian Kermode in July 2023 asked: "What was the average number of prison officers employed at IOM Prison during 2022?"

The answer was 81.

The implication being that the staffing levels have been cut by around half.

We put this to Deputy Governor Phillips who said the number provided by the governor was 'potentially a misquote':

OTHER CONCERNS

We asked the deputy governor for his response to concerns that staff feel ‘underappreciated’.

He credited them with doing a 'fantastic job' in handling the incident and said he couldn't 'thank staff enough':

With regards to the use of PAVA spray we asked: Were correct procedures followed in using it?

There have been wider calls for an independent investigation into the site with sources telling Manx Radio that 'nothing has changed' at the prison over the past few years despite several high-profile incidents there.

You can find out more about those HERE.

We asked for Deputy Governor Phillips' response to that point:

'THEY'RE STILL HUMAN BEINGS'

Despite the reassurances offered by the deputy governor sources close to some of the prisoners say they believe any response needs to go further. 

This account was provided to us by someone whose partner is currently in the facility and who witnessed the incident.

They said: "I think it’s really important that people hear the prisoners’ side because the prison, the governor and the Department of Home Affairs aren’t commenting, saying it’s for security reasons.

"From what my partner has told me it started at around 10.30am as a completely peaceful protest.

"The prisoners refused to come back inside from the exercise yard because they wanted someone senior to actually come and listen to their concerns.

"For hours nobody senior came out. They were speaking to ordinary wing staff who didn’t have the authority to answer their questions.

"As the day went on it became extremely hot.

"Prisoners were asking for water, food, medication and medical attention.

"My partner says some prisoners were becoming severely sunburnt and one appeared to be suffering from heatstroke.

"And one thing he specifically told me was that officers were drinking water and eating food while looking down at the prisoners and laughing while the prisoners were asking them for water.

"If that’s what happened I think it’s understandable that tensions became even worse.

"The phones were then cut off so prisoners couldn’t communicate with their families.

"My partner had actually called me earlier and asked me to contact the media because he wanted people outside to know what was happening.

"Eventually, after hours of this, the peaceful protest escalated and windows were smashed and benches were broken.

"I’m not saying that damage is acceptable because it isn’t. But I think you have to ask what happened during those hours before it reached that point.

"Later that evening the riot squad came in.

"My partner says the prisoners lined themselves up against the wall and weren’t posing a threat, but pepper spray was still used and prisoners were forcibly taken to segregation.

"I wasn’t there myself so I’m reporting what my partner witnessed. But these are serious allegations that need investigating.

"And the bigger question is: why were they protesting in the first place?

"Education has effectively stopped. There is very little work and very little rehabilitation. Prisoners are reportedly spending around 23- hours a day locked in their cells.

"We’re constantly hearing about staffing shortages - but why is the prison so understaffed?

"If staffing is the reason prisoners can’t access work, education or rehabilitation, then why isn’t something being done about that?

"There’s also a serious question about categorisation.

"The prisoners’ understanding is that around 95 percent are there for drug-related offences and many would ordinarily be Category C or D.

"Yet they’re being held under extremely restrictive conditions and even enhanced prisoners aren’t receiving the privileges they feel they should.

"If the prison was properly categorised according to the actual risk of the prisoners, could that reduce some of the staffing pressures as well?

"And then there’s sentencing.

"People are getting extremely long sentences - 10, 15 years or more - but what rehabilitation are they actually receiving during those sentences?

"You can’t lock someone away for 15 years, provide little education, little work and little rehabilitation, and then expect them to come out completely changed.

"This isn’t about being soft on crime. It’s about asking whether the system is actually working.

"There are also concerns about family days including reports that UK prisoners are being prioritised over Isle of Man prisoners.

"Family contact is incredibly important for rehabilitation so that needs looking at too.

"I’m not asking people to automatically believe the prisoners’ account and I’m not excusing the riot.

"I’m asking for an independent inquiry.

"Because the prison is saying one thing and the prisoners are saying something completely different.

"If the prison’s account is correct - if prisoners were offered food, water, medication and healthcare - then an investigation should prove that.

"But if the prisoners’ account is correct then the public deserves to know.

"These people are prisoners but they’re still human beings, they have families, and most importantly, they’re eventually going to come back into our community.

"So the question shouldn’t just be: “why did the prisoners riot?”

"It should be: “What happened that caused a peaceful protest to reach that point - and why have these problems been allowed to continue for so long?”

NEWCAST

You can listen to the deputy governor's interview in full in this episode of Newscast: