§ Captain Hewitsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why three prison officers entered the cell of Francis Fraser in Exeter Prison and injured him to such an extent that he had to be taken to an outside hospital for treatment; if he is aware of public disquiet at the number of incidents occurring in Her Majesty's Prisons; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerOn the evidence before me, I have no reason to believe that Fraser was, in fact, injured in the manner suggested. It was necessary to restrain him while he was resisting the officers escorting him after he had himself committed an assault, and medical examination revealed only trivial abrasions and no evidence whatever of serious injury. He was not taken to hospital for treatment but for X-ray examination because next day he complained of a pain in his shoulder. The examination revealed a slight abnormality of the shoulder joint, which in the opinion of the doctor might well have been due to an old injury. I would not wish to deduce from particular incidents that there is general public disquiet at the state of discipline in Her Majesty's Prisons.