§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the criminal convictions are of Charles Conlon, a prisoner in HMP Maghaberry; when his most recent conviction was; what sentence he is508W serving; how many days he has served in solitary confinement; and if he will make a statement on the circumstances of his punishment. [159563]
§ Mr. IngramCharles Conlon's criminal record currently runs to 16 pages and spans a period of 22 years. It includes convictions for 12 counts of criminal damage, 18 counts of burglary, theft, five counts of riotous/ disorderly behaviour, 12 counts of common assault, 17 road traffic offences, 25 assaults on police, three counts of deception, 15 serious assaults, four robberies, two counts of possessing an offensive weapon, eight counts of obstructing police and two incidents of arson. Charges in relation t0 an incident in which he bit a prison officer twice are currently being investigated by the police.
His most recent conviction was on 16 January 2001 when he received two six-month sentences for assaulting two prison officers These sentences were to be served consecutively to a two and half year sentence, imposed on 14 October 1999, for threats to kill, assaults on police, perjury and assault His current earliest date of release (EDR) is 29 July 2001.
Mr. Conlon has an unenviable record of poor behaviour during his present period of imprisonment. He has been charged and adjudicated upon for offences against prison discipline on 70 separate occasions. He has a propensity for, and history of, serious assaults on prison staff and other prisoners. He has been held in the Punishment and Segregation Unit (PSU) at HMP Maghaberry since 21 November 1999, under Rule 32 of The Prison and Young Offenders (NI) Rules 1995. This is to restrict his association for the maintenance of good order and discipline within the prison. Recent efforts to reintegrate Mr. Conlon into the ordinary prison population have been unsuccessful.
Judgment on a Judicial Review hearing earlier this year to examine Mr. Conlon's conditions of imprisonment has been reserved.