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Press releasesREF: PR/19/07 DATE: 3rd April 2007 To: ALL POLITICAL PRESS RELEASE "Prisoner Undercover" Documentary - POA Calls on Government to Act and Channel 4 to CompensateLeaders of the POA were angry following the screening on Monday night of the Dispatches programme “Prisoner Undercover”. They are calling on the Government to take immediate action to restore the public’s confidence in open prisons and “stop” prisoners and other organisations from profiteering from crime. The documentary identified serious failings at North Sea Camp, where the use of Class A drugs appeared to be common practice, with security failings allowing prisoners to abscond and bring unauthorised articles into the prison unchallenged. Former Chief Inspector of Prisons, Sir David Ramsbotham identified that staff shortage and poor management was a significant factor in the failings identified. Colin Moses, Chairman of the POA said: “Nothing shown in the documentary came as a shock to this Union. We have identified all of the problems to the Home Secretary, Prisons Minister, the Prisons Board and MPs across the country. Unfortunately, those in authority refuse to listen to this Union and address the real problems. We cannot continue to allow open prisons to be used as a dumping ground and operated on a shoestring budget”. He went on to say, “The Government must act now. It cannot ignore the problems or bury its head in the sand. Maybe, they will now believe what this Union has been saying for many months, following this expose”. Mr Moses was asked why the POA is angry over the screening of the Dispatches documentary as it supports the views of the POA and concerns of other unions. He replied: “It is morally wrong that any person convicted of a criminal offence should profit from their time in prison, whilst committing other criminal act, which appears to be the case here. Dafydd Evans was approached or approached Channel 4 and they agreed to produce this documentary. We do not believe that this was done for “no payment”. Therefore, we ask that Dafydd Evans donates his fee to the victims of crime. We ask that Channel 4 donate ten times the fee (if one was paid) to the families who lost loved ones or suffer injuries as a result of the traffic incident which led to Dafydd Evans’ conviction. “And finally we ask that Channel 4 reimburse the Government for the cost of Dafydd Evans’ imprisonment of 30 days, as a direct result of his criminal activities in filming the footage which led to the production of the documentary”.
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