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Muslim prisoners sue for millions after they were offered ham sandwiches for Ramadan
Last updated at 20:07pm on 26.10.07Scores of Muslim inmates at a high security prison are set to launch a multi-million pound claim for compensation after they were offered ham sandwiches during the holy month of Ramadan.
They say their human rights were breached when they were given a special nightly menu - drawn up to recognise their specific dietary requirements - by officers at HMP Leeds last month.
More than 200 Muslim inmates at the jail are believed to have been offered the meat which is strictly forbidden by Islam.
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Outrage: Muslim prisoners claim they were forced to eat ham sandwiches, which is against their religion
The sandwich was one of three options on the menu card which was created to cover the religious festival during which Muslims are required to fast during daylight.
They later complained to prison officers on duty but say they were told that the menus had been printed in error.
Yet when they opened the sandwiches, having ordered cheese, some claim they were still filled with boiled ham.
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Insult: The prison menu Muslim inmates were offered during Ramadan, a deeply religious festival. The menu included ham sandwiches although pork is banned in Islam
They are now launching legal action, insisting that their human rights were breached and could each be entitled to up to £10,000 in compensation if they win their case at court.
One Muslim inmate, a 28-year-old who was serving a 16-week sentence for driving whilst disqualified, said: 'When I opened my meal that night I found I'd been given a ham sandwich. I'd asked for cheese.
'It was a breach of my human rights and I want compensation.'
He claimed that some inmates were so hungry they ended up eating the sandwiches.
The prison denied that any Muslim prisoners had been given ham sandwiches but admitted there had been a mistake when the menus were printed.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said: 'An inappropriate menu card was printed during Ramadan. This mistake was rectified immediately.
'Appropriate menu options for the Iftaar evening meal were available throughout Ramadan.
'Prison Service guidelines state that prisoners must have a diet which meets the requirements of their religion.'
It comes as 16 Muslim inmates at Leeds Prison prepare to launch a separate legal case over claims of mistreatment, including being given food that is forbidden by their religion.
They are expected to claim at a hearing next year that they were given meat which was not halal.
Kate Maynard, from law firm Hickman and Rose Solicitors who is representing some of the men, said: 'One of the issues they are worried about is that they were being told food was halal when it wasn't.
'They are taking this to court to try to change conditions in the prison and make conditions better.'
Last year the Prison Service was forced to apologise to Muslim inmates at a category B jail after a kitchen worker was caught throwing ham into halal curries.
Prisoners at HMP Blakenhurst in Worcestershire each received a written apology.
The inmate behind the attack at the prison, which houses 1,070 offenders, was observed throwing tinned ham into curries destined for Muslim inmates and suspended from his job in the kitchen.
Reader views (16)
Get over it!
- Paul Kirk, London
They were offered something they didnt like ! Does that mean I can now sue the Chef at work if I'm a veggie!
- D, London
Were they forcd to eat them? No, well tough then!
- Brian, Wiltshire
This makes me so angry! how do these ridiculous claims even get to court?! How can lawyers even entertain this idea... you go to prison because you are a criminal, it is not meant to be a holiday camp.
Utterly ridiculous.
- Nm, London
"Some claimed they were still delivered ham sandwiches and ended up eating them because they were so hungry" - Surely missing one meal (or just waiting for a shade longer for a bit of cheese) would not have been such a terrible hardship?
- Paul, London
They commited a crime to end up in prison, no doubt they had commited several crimes or one severe crime to be in prison. If they had been law abiding citizens they would have had the choice of what they wanted to eat. This is an absolute disgrace! True modern day England, gone PC crazy. This is should be the stance for any prisoner, they commit crime they lose the right to choice!
- Hannah, Kent
What a laugh! I mean, come on. I am Muslim, not a very strict one granted, but even I find this hysterical.
Where I work, they serve bacon as breakfast in the morning, but as someone previously said, its a choice, they're not going to shove it down your throat. Talk about sensitive!
- Habib, London
As stated above. It's prison. If they wanted preferential treatment they should have kept out of trouble.
- Matt, Bracknell
This is total rubbish! How on earth would someone sue? They shouldn't get even a sorry. Food is food and they were not put at gun point and forced to eat. Let common sense reign.
- Amooti, London - UK
This is jail not Butlins! If you want choice don't end up in jail simple as that. When these criminals commit crime do they give the victim a choice? No so shut up and eat what your given all this pussy footing around just makes a mockery of our penal system.
- Jay, London
Well, aren't they precious. Poor little things. Someone makes a mistake and immediately they feel the need to sue!
Maybe criminals should pay for the food they receive during their prison sentence and the expenses for keeping them there.
- Mm, London
I trust that, if the prisoners receive compensation, it will immediately be taken back to pay for the cost of their board and keep whilst they are in prison.
- Ian, Chatham, Kent
Prisoners have 'menus'?
Is this 'menu de jour', or 'a la carte'?
- George, London
Other prisoners may have liked the option. The way to integrate is not to obliterate the choices of others, an item on a menu is just that, it is not compulsory. Even if it was it seems that the reality was a cheese sandwich anyway which the prisoners were told at the time. This is not a problem and most certainly they should not get a penny.
- Adrian, Windsor
As a vegetarian can I sue the hospital for offering me meat for my dinner. I was not forced to eat the meat, it was just an item available. This seems to be a similar situation, these people were not given ham, just offered it as an option.
- Jane, London
These are criminals and we are thinking of giving each £10,000 because of a slice of ham, and just to add insult to injury some actually ate them!
- Pat, Sussex
