Prison holding Jeffrey Donaldson should have ‘no hierarchy’ of treatment, says former UUP leader

There should be “no hierarchy” in a Co Antrim prison where concerns have been raised about convicted paedophile Jeffrey Donaldson receiving preferential treatment, according to a member of the Stormont justice committee.Independent MLA Doug Beattie was responding to reports that staff at Maghaberry Prison had complained about special treatment, including lockdowns, to accommodate legal visits to the former DUP leader.Donaldson (63) lodged an appeal against his conviction last Friday.“My view is very simple. No convicted prisoner should be treated any differently from any other prisoner,” said Beattie, a former Ulster Unionist Party leader.READ MORE“In the case of Jeffrey Donaldson, it is absolutely clear. He is a convicted criminal. He can appeal but until that appeal is heard he is a convicted child sex abuser and therefore needs to be treated in exactly the same manner as everybody else.”The ex-Lagan Valley MP was remanded to Maghaberry, outside Lisburn, after he was convicted of 18 counts of child sex abuse last month, including one count of rape, committed against two women when they were children.A sentencing hearing is due to take place in September, with a judge warning he will face a “lengthy” sentence.On Wednesday, the Belfast Telegraph reported that inmates at Maghaberry were being temporarily locked down to facilitate Donaldson being escorted from the prison’s medical unit, where he is currently being held, to the visiting area.The move was ordered due to an escalation in verbal abuse from other prisoners when he was taken to see his lawyers.Taunts related to him being a paedophile and his alleged visits to gay saunas.Prison sources told The Irish Times that some officers feel Donaldson’s treatment “goes beyond” the management of other high-risk inmates, including sex offenders.One staff member described it as “over the top”.In a statement, the Northern Ireland Prison Service denied providing “special status, preferential treatment or privileged conditions to any prisoner”.“All prisoners are managed according to individual risk assessments and operational requirements,” it said.Donaldson has been held in a cell on the medical wing of the prison, known as Moyola House, since his conviction.He is considered at higher risk of being attacked by other inmates at Maghaberry, Northern Ireland’s only high-security category-A prison.[ Jeffrey Donaldson to appeal child sex offences convictionOpens in new window ]Older and vulnerable inmates, as well other high-profile prisoners including Natalie McNally’s killer, Stephen McCullagh, are also in Moyola.Any risks against Donaldson “must be mitigated against” by prison staff, said Beattie.“It’s just the way he is monitored, where he is held, how he exercises and where he exercises.“It’s a normal risk assessment, a normal threat assessment. It happens all the time. It happens to sex offenders on multiple occasions, including those who are in for rape.”The MLA for Upper Bann said he has raised concerns on “many occasions” about a separate prison regime where “prisoners are treated slightly differently”.“We understand that those on remand will be treated somewhat differently but Jeffrey Donaldson should dress, do the work and the rehabilitation that any other prisoner does whilst they’re in Maghaberry,” added Beattie.“If he’s getting preferential treatment, it’s wrong, it needs to stop. If prison officers are being told to give him any form of preferential treatment, then they should complain to their line manager in regards to that.“There should be no hierarchy.”The NI Prison Service said it would be “wholly inappropriate” to comment on the “specific management, location, conditions or circumstances of any individual prisoner”.“The prison service applies this approach consistently in every case in order to protect operational security, personal safety and the integrity of prison management arrangements.”Decisions on prisoner accommodation, supervision, safeguarding, security, welfare, healthcare and “regime participation” are based on “professional assessment and objective evidence”.“Any management decisions that differ between prisoners are made solely on the basis of assessed operational, welfare or security needs,” it added.