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04-14-2005, 05:48 PM
PRISONERS evacuated when fire broke at their jail are getting £100 each in compensation — for their “inconvenience”.
The payouts to 32 inmates forced to flee a cell block enraged warders yesterday — who got NOTHING for tackling the blaze which was started deliberately.
Jail chiefs decided to give lags the cash even though nobody was injured by the fire in a cell at Highpoint Prison in Suffolk ten days ago.
Last night Steve Bostock, of the Prison Officers Association, blasted the payouts as “outrageous”.
He said his members were worried about a misuse of public funds — and demanded a full explanation.
Mr Bostock raged: “It appears to be going to prisoners because they were inconvenienced on the night of the fire and behaved themselves.
“Our staff potentially put their lives at risk by tackling the fire and evacuating all prisoners safely. Yet all they got was a letter of thanks from the governor.”
Evacuated lags were moved to other accommodation at the category C jail or to the Edmunds Hill prison next door.
The Prison Service insisted yesterday: “The money is to make up for damaged property. It is not a reward for good behaviour.”
But Mr Bostock insisted: “Although there was smoke damage in the prisoners’ unit I don’t know of any suggestion property was damaged.”
The payouts to 32 inmates forced to flee a cell block enraged warders yesterday — who got NOTHING for tackling the blaze which was started deliberately.
Jail chiefs decided to give lags the cash even though nobody was injured by the fire in a cell at Highpoint Prison in Suffolk ten days ago.
Last night Steve Bostock, of the Prison Officers Association, blasted the payouts as “outrageous”.
He said his members were worried about a misuse of public funds — and demanded a full explanation.
Mr Bostock raged: “It appears to be going to prisoners because they were inconvenienced on the night of the fire and behaved themselves.
“Our staff potentially put their lives at risk by tackling the fire and evacuating all prisoners safely. Yet all they got was a letter of thanks from the governor.”
Evacuated lags were moved to other accommodation at the category C jail or to the Edmunds Hill prison next door.
The Prison Service insisted yesterday: “The money is to make up for damaged property. It is not a reward for good behaviour.”
But Mr Bostock insisted: “Although there was smoke damage in the prisoners’ unit I don’t know of any suggestion property was damaged.”