Prison Officers condemn media glare on beating claim

The Prison Officers Association has condemned the media attention given to the case of the four prison guards who were charged with beating an inmate, saying that the press coverage has been prejudicial against the guards' presumption of innocence.

The four guards were charged with beating Dutch drug trafficker Perry Toornstra after he allegedly tried to escape on his return from an hour's prison leave. He was charged with violently resisting the officers as well as trying to escape prison.

The association said that the media attention given to the case amounts to pre-trial publicity, adding that it is not fair that the public are being given a "distorted" picture.

The association also criticised the fact that a request for an interview with the inmate was approved last week, saying it cannot understand the attitude of the section of the press which sought this meeting, given that the cases in which Mr Toornstra is concerned are still ongoing.

At the same time, the association invited journalists to seek permission to enter the prison in order to be able to gain first-hand experience of the sort of difficulties prison guards are faced with.

"This exercise will give the public the background inside prison where the association's members are spending a lot of time with people who are deprived of their freedom, and who (at least some of them) do not see the officers in a good light."

The association pointed out that there are several incidents in which prisoners assault the guards, saying that the media never report on these. "Had this been done, the public could understand how difficult it is for its members to exercise control and implement its orders with prisoners... This is a reality that one must keep in mind, because it is very much easier to criticise than to find yourself in the midst of these great difficulties."