Prisoner’s Ear Bitten Off at HMP Frankland

Action Alert : Further Racist attacks in Frankland Prison

Date : 18th March 2008

 From : Helptheprisoners.org and Arani Solicitors

 Background

 News has reached us that HMP Frankland, run by Governor Bob Mullen, is still continuing to be a dangerous, hostile and racist environment for Muslim Prisoners. What is most disturbing is that despite continuous pressure being applied, he has done little to address the concerns of the inmate population, even when their lives are in danger.

 In January, one inmate who does not wish to be named was attacked twice in a 48 hour period. The first attack was unprovoked by a person who delivered apunch so violently that it slammed him onto bars, splitting his head and making him lose conciousness. He required stitches, however they simply used glue to stop a very serious wound, an action which flies in the face of standard medical procedures for such an injury. He also overhead the nurses say that it was the first time they had ever used glue to treat an injury.

 Incredibly, he was released back to his cell on the same wing the next day. He was then attacked again, this time within 2 days of the first attack. In the second attack, two prisoners bit off part of his ear, leaving it virtually hanging loose by a thread. The inmate states that two officers where in the vicinity within 20 meters with a clear line of vision, and they waited until the attack had ended before intervening. He was then assaulted by the Prison Officers, being handcuffed and held to the floor whilst putting pressure on his back. They also pushed his head to one side, forcing his injured ear to the floor, causing excruciating pain. He also suffered sight loss in both eyes.

 He was then taken to segregation, and despite continually asking for assistance with his ear nearly dislodged from his head, he was not even responded to for over 1 hour. After one hour, an officer responded by taken his shoes away from him. He has still not had them returned.

 He was eventually seen 5 hours later from the attack by a doctor, who informed him that he would require plastic surgery. This term was not explained to the inmate, and as a result he was unsure what this actually meant. It was clear that he required major surgery, however the nurses informed him he would not be able to do this as he was a ‘high risk’ prisoner.

 As a result, his ear injury was treated with paracetomol and anti-biotics. This of course did nothing to alleviate the pain. This left him unable to pray as the bleeding did not cease, and made it next to impossible for him to sleep. After 5 days of non-treatment, and suffering stress and trauma as a result, he requested to leave the hospital wing. The prison tried to make him return to the same wing on which he was based, which of course he refused. For this, he was sent to solitary confinement for refusing a direct order.

 Whilst in Solitary, there have been race riots in which the ethnic minority prisoners were attacked by the white prisoners. The ethnic prisoners were then punished for being attacked by being placed in segregation and then moved to another establishment.

 It is clear that there are serious issues that have failed to be addressed, and the prison may well be operating a fiefdom which it believes it does not have to obey its legal obligations.

 There is still racist grafitti left in cells and public areas which has not been removed, despite this being raised in courts over 6 months ago.

 There is no CCTV on F and G Wings, despite their being numerous attacks on minority inmates within that wing 

• The Prison Officers are 90% white. This should not be an issue, however it becomes one when it is clear that preferential treatment is being given to white inmates, whilst ethnic minority inmates are being victimised
  

• The Legal rooms do not offer confidentiality. Any conversations are clearly audible and listened to by Prison Officers.
  

• Some inmates, mainly muslim inmates, are required to move cells every month.
  

• Inadequate and discriminatory healthcare is still being offered to muslim inmates directly injured as a result of the prisons’ failure to protect their safety. This is in spite of this issue being raised in relation to Eesa Barot before his transfer.
  

• There were race riots on at least one occasion, and rather than addressing the issues raised from this incident, the prison chose to cover it up and under-report it.
  

• Inadequate training of staff to deal with muslim prisoners. They could not, or did not want to, understand the inmates repeated requests for medical assistance. They also did not intervene when a muslim inmate was being attacked.
  

It is clear that HMP Frankland under Governor Bob Mullen is unable to protect the rights and safety of muslim and ethnic minority inmates within its prison. We call on the prison service to investigate the issues raised within this, and if it cannot provide for ethnic minority or muslim prisoners at HMP Frankland, then it should not be housing them there. All prisoners, regardless of their crimes real or alleged, have the right to be protected and treated equally. The restriction on freedom and the fact they are held in an establishment where their movements are restricted is the punishment of prison. There should be no further punishment because of the colour of someones skin or their religious affliation.

  Actions Required
 

• Write Letters and Make Phonecalls to HMP Frankland, making them aware of the issues raised in this alert. A sample letter is included.

 Contact your member of parliament, asking them to investigate the above issues.
 

• Contact the Prison Inspectorate, Anne Owers.

 

Key Contacts
 

H M Prison Service   Parliamentary, Correspondence & Briefing Unit Room 536 Cleland Page Street London SW1P 4LN   FAX: 0207 217 6403	Governor Bob Mullen   HMP Frankland Brasside Durham DH1 5YD   Tel: 0191 332 3000 Fax: 0191 332 3001
Anne Owers, Prison Inspectorate   Ashley House 2 Monck Street London SW1P 2BQ Tel 020 7035 2876 or 0845 010 7938 (lo-call) Fax 020 7035 2860 Email: mail@ppo.gsi.gov.uk