major probe | 

Jail staff who made bullying complaints against senior prison officer are interviewed

It’s understood that two of the complainants against him were male and two were female.

Today at 06:19

A former Northern Ireland prison governor has been appointed to investigate complaints of bullying and misogyny against a senior prison officer in the Midlands Prison.

Austin Treacy, a retired Governor Director who worked in the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) for more than 30 years, conducted interviews earlier this month with three staff members who made complaints against the officer. It’s understood Mr Treacy is being assisted in carrying out the investigation by retired NIPS Governor Gary McClean.

Sources confirmed to the Sunday World this week that a decision to draft in external investigators was made to ensure there can be no questions as to the objectivity of those involved.

“There are four staff members in total involved here so it was considered vital there could be no suggestion of any connection between the investigators and those involved,” the source said.

“But it’s also reflective of just how seriously complaints of this nature are being taken within the Irish Prison Service.”

The Sunday World reported in October how multiple allegations of bullying and harassment had been made against the senior officer before he was suspended from his duties at the Midlands Prison.

It’s understood that two of the complainants against him were male and two were female.

The complaints from a male member of staff are understood to relate to repeatedly alleged incidents of shouting and abusive comments allegedly made to him by the officer.

The complaints from the female members of staff relate to similar type incidents that at least one of the two claimed were misogynistic in tone.

When the Sunday World called to the prison officer’s address in October, he declined to comment. After our reporter asked to speak with him by name, the suspended officer responded: “And you are?”

When our man gave his name, the suspended officer replied with a curt ‘no’ before closing the door in his face.

A source told the Sunday World at the time that the complaints have been received with the utmost seriousness by authorities in the prison and were forwarded to the Irish Prison Service’s headquarters in Longford.

The Irish Prison Service declined to comment on the specifics of the case.