Impasse over monitoring of Hollesley Bay Prison continues after fall-out

Faith Spear (Image: Copyright 2016 KJ Spear. This image may be used unmodified in print and online on strict condition the photo is credited as foll)

Faith Spear said she has no regrets over refusing to step down from her position after writing what turned out to be an incendiary article in The Prisons Handbook.

Mrs Spear said: “At the monthly board meeting I was the only one present.

“I have assured the Governor that I will make sure the monitoring is done each week.

“I am awaiting the results of the Independent inquiry by the Ministry of Justice into (allegedly) being bullied.

“I don’t regret making a stand, but it has been at a cost.”

As a result of what Mrs Spear wrote under the pseudonym of Daisy Mallet, her fellow board members demanded she resign last month.

They said if she did not do so they would refuse to work with her. Two are since said to have resigned.

Describing herself as a whistleblower without a whistle, Mrs Spear had outlined her view that the prisoner monitoring system must change if it is to be worthwhile.

Mrs Spear called for a more professional, transparent approach, infused with younger bloodlines, if there is to be progress over prisoners’ rehabilitation.

The fallout led to what was described by Mark Leech, editor of The Prisons Handbook, as a ‘disgraceful coup d’etat”.

Now the situation appears to be at an impasse with Mrs Spear, of Ipswich, continuing her duties alone.

Last month a spokesman for the Hollesley Bay IMB said: “The board categorically denies that bullying, in any form, occurs at the IMB.”

It is understood the board’s view was that no approval had been sought for the Daisy Mallet article and that it reflected poorly on HBIMB. It is further understood the board did not accept much of the content as accurate.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice confirmed an inquiry was still continuing into Mrs Spear’s allegations.