Belfast Telegraph
April 7, 2006
Use of prison drug dog for court challenge
By Connla Young
07/04/2006
The use of a drug detection dog at a Co Antrim prison is to be challenged in the High Court.
Since its introduction in 2000, the use of the dog at Maghaberry Prison has been a source of controversy.
Dozens of people, ranging from priests to pensioners, have had to cancel visits to the prison after the dog indicated that the people had come into contact with drugs.
Last night, prison chiefs faced claims that prison officers were misusing the drugs dog. The claim arose after a republican prisoner was forced to spend two days in the prison’s punishment unit this week.
The Tyrone republican was returning to the prison after several days on parole.
He refused to drink water or eat during his time in the punishment unit.
This week’s incident was the second time in two months that this particular prisoner has been punished on the basis of the dog’s reaction.
The inmate said prison staff were using the dog to penalise republican prisoners and their families.
A prison service spokesman last night confirmed that no drugs had ever been found on a republican prisoner in Maghaberry Prison.
Richie MacRitchie, the prisoner’s solicitor, said a judicial review was necessary to challenge the prison service’s continued use of the drugs dog.
“My client believes that prison service staff are using this drugs dog against republican prisoners to victimise them.
He believes that the dog is being misused and that there is a lack of independent scrutiny in relation to the use of the dog.”
A spokesperson for the prison service said: “The Northern Ireland Prison Service strongly rejects the accusation that passive drug dog handlers are victimising some prisoners by encouraging their dogs to indicate on them.
“The use of passive drug dogs has proved to be a very effective measure in helping to stem the flow of drugs into prisons.
Their use has been vindicated by the courts.
While visits are the main conduit for drug trafficking, prisoners returning from home leave have become an increasingly used secondary route.
“This brings misery not only to prisoners who willingly conceal the drugs but also to others being pressurised or bullied by others to bring them in.
“The prison service has a duty and responsibility to do what it can to prevent the misery and hardship experienced by prisoners and their families associated with drug misuse.”
|