Duffy family anger over strip searches

THE family of Lurgan republican Colin Duffy have called on those involved in brokering a deal between prison authorities and prisoners in Maghaberry earlier this year to intervene in what they describe as an "escalating situation".

Mr Duffy, who is charged with the killing of two soldiers at Masserene barracks last year, was subjected to strip searches before and after the preliminary hearings of the case last week.

In a statement issued this week, his family said the strip searches represented a “major breach” of the agreement reached between prisoners and prison authorities in August.

The statement said: “On Monday (October 11), Colin was forcibly strip-searched in Maghaberry. During the course of that strip search, he was assaulted and sustained physical injuries as a result of having been beaten by prison service personnel. At one stage, prison service personnel also attempted to forcibly dress Colin in a prison uniform.

“On Tuesday, Colin was again forcibly strip-searched and assaulted, sustaining further physical injuries. Such was the extent of his ill-treatment at the hands of prison service personnel that Colin’s legal team had to raise the entire issue during a court hearing.

"In court, Colin’s legal team described his treatment in Maghaberry that morning as being a clearcase of physical and sexual assault.”

The family claimed that the prison authorities are using Mr Duffy’s attendance at the on-going court hearings to subject him to what they describe as “physical assault and ill-treatment”.

The agreement on August 12 was brokered by external mediators and followed a long-running dispute between republican prisoners and prison staff.

As well as the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the mediation group included Creggan Enterprises from Derry and the Dialogue Advisory Group which is based in Amsterdam.

The statement continued: “Central to that agreement was the ending of the degrading and objectionable practice of routine and forcible strip-searching of prisoners.

“It now appears that prison service personnel are very cynically and deliberately reneging upon that agreement as can be witnessed through the treatment meted out to Colin this week.

“We are publicly calling upon the joint facilitation group to public comment upon the ongoing ill-treatment of Colin. If the joint facilitation group is to maintain its integrity and independence, it cannot remain silent while prison service personnel wilfully disregard that August 12 agreement."

A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Prison Service pointed out that all inmates leaving and entering prisons undergo a full body search.

The spokesperson said: “Mr Duffy was advised of this requirement but has refused to comply during any of his visits to or from court. The Prison Service deeply regrets the course of action taken by him.

“The Prison Service has a duty of care to prisoners, staff and the wider public and must take every precaution to ensure that illicit items are not smuggled into or out of prisons.

“In line with standard practice in NI prisons, any prisoner who is subject to a full body search following a control and restraint procedure, is seen immediately by a member of the medical profession. The prisoner has the option to make a formal complaint to the PSNI if he alleges any wrongdoing on the part of staff. Mr Duffy has made no complaint.”

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