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Ministers have been accused of pouring millions of pounds of public money “down the drain” after the collapse of a major corruption investigation at a London prison.
Fourteen prison officers were suspended when the inquiry began three years ago into allegations that they helped smuggle drugs and mobile phones into Pentonville.
The investigation — which is estimated to have cost several millions of pounds — has now ended with the officers being found not guilty or having the allegations against them withdrawn.
Many are expected to receive compensation and today the Prison Officers' Association accused bosses and the Ministry of Justice of mounting the investigation to cover up their own failure to tackle rampant drugs and mobile phone smuggling in jails.
Colin Moses, the union's national chairman, said: “They have poured millions of pounds of taxpayers' money down the drain by picking on prison officers instead of focusing on the real problem. The allegations were totally unfounded from the start and the money would have been much better spent tackling the large amounts of drugs that come in over the prison wall or are smuggled in by visitors.
“We are all in favour of rooting out corrupt officers, but this was all about trying to distract attention from the Prison Service's own failures and not about dealing with the real problem.”
Union officials claim that the allegations against the 10 men and four women — most from ethnic minorities — were partly racially motivated. Prison chiefs, however, insisted that the inquiry, prompted by testimony from whistleblowers, was justified amid growing concern about alleged corruption among staff.
A Prison Service spokeswoman said: “We do not comment on any payments made to individual members of staff.”
Reader views (3)
What a waste of our money. We now face the prospect of spending cuts in Education and health, yet these people can pour away "£millions" without being held accountable.
They sholud be put before a select committee and asked to justify their actions !
Public Enquiry demanded.
- Andy Baxter, Teesside, England., 30/09/2009 16:27
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Why does the tax payer always have to pick up the tab when money is wasted in this way? Maybe a raid on the Ministers´ pension fund to recoup the expenses incurred would persuade them to be less extravagant in future.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands, 28/09/2009 15:20
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The Prison Service spokeswomble spouted: "We do not comment on any payments made to individual members of staff".
Really? I always thought that taxpayer's money was accountable in a democracy?
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR, 28/09/2009 09:08
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