Jail governor suspended over 'assault on inmate'

A prison governor has been suspended after he was accused of assaulting an inmate.

The Prison Service is investigating the claims.
A spokeswoman for the service said: "A senior manager has been suspended at HMP Brixton after the prison received allegations concerning the treatment of a prisoner.

"An investigation has been commissioned and is being carried out by a governor from headquarters."

Allen is accused of assault, excessive use of restraint and trying to influence witnesses.

Brixton is an overcrowded Victorian jail which was criticised this year by inspectors, who found that it was holding 250 more inmates than its normal capacity of 500.

Chief inspector of prisons Nick Hardwick said its problems were substantial and it was "clear that managers and staff would struggle to maintain what, in many respects, were the minimum of basic standards".

"The sense from many prisoners was that staff were friendly enough, but they could not always be relied on to resolve problems and trouble," he said.

"Governance and record-keeping around discipline and security was poor. The gatehouse was alarmingly chaotic."