Report of the Inquiry into the circumstances of the Death of Bernard ...

was required to resume wing duties and could not recall that anyone spoke to
him about the incident at the hospital or about paperwork.
The Prison Service says that Prison Service Standing Order E, in force at the
time, required a report to be completed only when mechanical restraints, special
accommodation or staves were used in the course of restraining a prisoner.
However, use of force statements were a requirement and officers were taught to
complete them during their training. The statements were often in the form of a
memorandum stating only the fact of a restraint according to authorised
techniques and not the circumstances.
Other relevant circumstances
4.30 The inquiry has learned that prison managers at Risley had some cause for
concern about the incident.
Governor Williams’ evidence
4.31 In a memo to the then Governor in Charge at Risley on 30 June 1998, the then
Head of Residence at Risley, Governor Williams, said that on Tuesday 23 June she had
spoken to Officer Brownley about timekeeping when he been late for work on the first
day of an 18 month driving ban. In the memo she also referred to rumours, which she
said were also known to certain senior uniformed staff, that Officer Brownley intended to
engineer an assault by a prisoner in order to go on sick leave if he was banned from
driving. She said she had discussed Mr Brownley’s disciplinary record with him, made it
clear she had not been impressed with what she had seen of the performance of his
duties, and advised him against going sick.
4.32 In oral evidence to the inquiry, Governor Williams stated that she was quite clear
that she had spoken to Mr Brownley specifically about the rumour that he intended to
engineer an assault and she had subsequently spoken to his line managers about the
conversation.
4.33 In a statement to the Coroner’s officer, Governor Williams said Officer Brownley
was aggrieved that he had applied to transfer to Manchester prison but been turned
down. She also said that the Governor in Charge had said that the prison could not
investigate Mr Lodge’s allegation against the officer as the incident had been referred to
the police.
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