News
downsmail.co.uk ‘Staff crisis’ at prison disputed
STAFF levels at Maidstone Prison have fallen by a third, yet the number of inmates continues to rise across the country, according to a charity. Research by the Howard League
for Penal Reform showed that the jail, which houses up to 600 prison- ers, had 144 officers in September 2010, but three years later the total had dropped by 31% to 100. East Sutton Park had a decrease
of 55% during the same period. The women’s prison, which has been earmarked for closure, had 22 offi- cers in 2010 but only 10 by Septem- ber 2013, said the Howard League. The charity said high living costs
and low wages in Kent made re- cruiting increasingly difficult, mak- ing conditions more dangerous for both staff and prisoners. Prisoner- on-prisoner assaults were up, and attacks on staff were at the highest
level since records began. As East Sutton was a women’s
jail, it did not have some of the problems with violence experi- enced in male prisons, said the re- port, but therewas a serious rise in self harm whichwas not helped by having fewer staff. However, the figures were dis-
puted by the Ministry of Justice, which said the criticismwas politi- cally-motivated and that staffing
Hiker’s 1,100-mile charity test
EVERYONE deserves time out, and one Maidstone businessman is mak- ing the most of his “me time” by walking from Land’s End to John O’ Groats for charity. After years running Bearsted and Barming’s Family Funeral Service, Michael Lawrence (57) handed the reins to colleague Matthew High- sted when he left on June 15. Michael said: “I’m looking for-
ward to being right away from everything, clearing my head, giv- ingmystaff a break, and being com- pletely anonymous.” Undaunted by the 1,100 miles that
lay ahead of him, Michaelwas plan- ning towalk 18-20 miles per day, six
days aweek, and hoped to reach the end of his journey in three months. The formerAylesford School stu-
dent, has been training for his marathon hike for almost two years, backed by his partner Shirley. He will be relying on his iPad and
phone to chart his route, which will take him across Bodmin Moor, over the Cotswolds and along the Bollin tunnel under Manchester Airport’s runway. He was most looking for- ward towalking the High Street – a Romanroad in the Lake District and the highest point on thewalk. He said: “Obviously, if the
weather’s not so good, then this won’t be as much fun as it sounds.
The real difficulties present them- selves in the North, where commu- nities are 40-50 miles apart.” In fact, this will be a considerable logistical challenge for Michael, as he will need to use taxis to get to his overnight accommodation and to re-start the route in the mornings. “The Land’s End to John O’Groats Society insists that thewalk must be unbroken, so this will involve a fair bit of mileage,” Michael said. All the effort is for the Blackthorn
Trust at Barming, where Michael began as a volunteer two years ago. He had raised £1,000 before set-
ting foot on the trail and hopes peo- ple will support him and track his
progress along the way. You can sponsor Michael at
www.virgin-
moneygiving.com/michaelgoesLe- Jog and catch up on his travel news
atwww.familyfuneralservices.net.
levels had been agreed with the unions to ensure the running of safe, efficient and decent prisons. A report by the Independent Monitoring Board in June warned that staff shortages at Maidstone could lead to more serious inci- dents such as the riot in November last year involving 40 inmates. It expressed concern that staffingwas insufficient for the jail’s new role housing foreign nationals.
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