HC Deb 15 July 1991 vol 195 cc20-1W
Mr. John Browne

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the incident at Winchester crown court on Tuesday 9 July and set up an inquiry to report specifically upon security of building construction and security procedures and on the manning levels of the local police and prison service.

Mrs. Rumbold

At 13.40 hours on 8 July at Winchester Crown Court, six prisoners created a disturbance in the custody area. All were already serving sentences, and it is believed that their actions were in protest at the prisons to which they might be allocated when their current trial was over. They armed themselves with items of broken furniture in order to resist or prevent intervention by prison staff, and two climbed into the roof space above the cells area. All had surrendered to prison staff by 19.16 hours that day. There were no injuries to staff or to prisoners. The Hampshire police force is conducting a criminal investigation into the incident.

An investigation into the design and construction of the custody area at Winchester Crown Court will be carried out by members of prison service headquarters. The detailed security procedures in the custody area of the court are a matter for the governor, in consultation with the Lord Chancellor's Department.

The current strength of the Hampshire police force is fully up to its authorised complement, and Winchester prison has sufficient staff to carry out its work.