Yahoo News Prison worker placed at excessive risk during coronavirus pandemic, say his grieving family
The family of a London prison worker who died with suspected coronavirus today criticised a failure to provide him with protective equipment amid growing concerns about conditions behind bars.
Bovil Peter, 64, a member of the support staff at HMP Pentonville in Islington, died last week while showing symptoms of the virus.
One of his colleagues, Patrick Beckford, has also lost his life apparently suffering from the disease as the number of prison staff and inmates with coronavirus continues to rise.
Ministers responded at the weekend with a limited early release scheme in an attempt to reduce the risk of the virus spreading in overcrowded conditions.
But Mr Peter’s nephew, Mark Smith, today warned that his uncle had been placed at excessive risk as he described the family’s devastation.
“The whole family was in total shock when we heard he had died. When I got the news I couldn’t believe it,” he said from his home in St Lucia.
“He was a joyful, hard-working, spiritual man, very, very friendly. He should have had the proper protective equipment where he worked.
“It is very important in the kind of job he was doing. We are hoping to have a memorial for him here in Saint Lucia but we don’t know when this will be. This virus is such a horrible thing.”
A third prison worker, a 48-year-old based in the kitchen at Wymott Prison in Lancashire, was also reported to have died with suspected Covid-19 symptoms yesterday.
The Prison Governors’ Association has warned that a lack of protective equipment is making it harder to safeguard staff and prevent the disease spreading among inmates, saying that this is a “serious concern”. It has also called for the testing of both prisoners and staff.
The Prison Officers’ Association has also demanded action, adding that the testing of prisoners was also essential to stop those due for release from spreading the virus in communities when they are freed.
Mark Fairhurst, the association’s national chairman, added: “We really pushed for personal protective equipment because of what staff are facing in our prisons.
"Masks, gowns, gloves and goggles should be in regional hubs today. There should be no shortage.
“What we want to see now is the testing of prison staff and prisoners who are being released. It is imperative that prisoners who are released are not taking the virus back to their communities.”
Emily Thornberry MP, whose Islington constituency covers Pentonville, said: “We are all concerned that these two deaths may be connected to that reported outbreak.
"I hope the possibility will be investigated thoroughly to ensure that any steps required to make prison officers and other staff safe from infection are taken immediately, alongside the ongoing steps being taken to protect inmates and reduce overcrowding.”
The Government announced on Saturday that up to 4,000 prisoners in England and Wales, coming to the end of their sentences, would be released early.
Few have been released so far, however, despite an admission this week by Justice Secretary Robert Buckland that some prisons are facing “acute” problems in controlling the spread of the virus.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said the latest figures show 129 prisoners have tested positive for Covid-19 across 47 prisons, while 24 prison staff have been diagnosed with the virus across 13 prisons.
Five prisoner escort and custody services staff have also tested positive.
He added: “We have robust and flexible plans in place to protect prison staff, the public and prisoners, based on the latest advice from Public Health England.
"Personal protective equipment is being provided to officers and all prisons have the soap and cleaning materials they need.”
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