Latest news with #CaraHunter
Belfast Telegraph
10 hours ago
- Health
- Belfast Telegraph
166 drug overdoses in NI prisons in five years
It comes after the Belfast Telegraph revealed that drug seizures across our prison system have increased by 56% in the same period, with finds in Maghaberry almost doubling. Two fatalities due to overdoses in prisons here have also been recorded since 2020. Drugs, both illegal and non-prescribed medications, have long been an issue in our prisons, with high-tech x-ray body scanners installed in recent years to try to stem the flow. In 2023, Criminal Justice Inspection and HM Inspectorate of Prisons undertook an inspection of Maghaberry, our only high security prison. It found a 'serious drug problem' at the facility, which houses around 1,400 inmates. Inspectors found that 41% of prisoners surveyed indicated it was easy to get illicit drugs at Maghaberry, while more than a quarter (28%) said they developed a drug problem while incarcerated there. Last week, this newspaper revealed that drug seizures at Maghaberry have almost doubled during the last five years, with 676 drug finds in 2024, compared to 341 in 2020. In Magilligan — a medium-to-low security prison which holds male inmates with six years or less to serve — there were 420 drug seizures over this period. At Hydebank, which houses young offenders and, separately, females, drugs were found 250 times from 2020 to 2024. Across the prison system, 3,399 drug seizures were recorded over this period, with 794 last year alone, compared to 509 in 2020. Other figures show the scale of drug overdoses in our prisons. From January 2020 to last month, there were 166 overdoses – two resulting in fatalities – one in 2020 and another last year. So far this year there have been 12 overdoses recorded, while the highest annual figure was in 2021, when there were 44. Cara Hunter, an SDLP MLA, has campaigned on addiction issues and said it is 'deeply concerning' that drug overdoses continue to occur at an 'alarming' rate in our prisons. 'Our prison system owes a duty of care to those in custody and these deaths will have been devastating for the families affected,' she said. 'This underlines the urgent need to tackle drug use within our prisons and disrupt supply routes that continue to evade control. 'These deaths are a tragic reminder of the consequences of inaction and the need for an intervention. We must prevent access to drugs in custody and prioritise treatment and rehabilitation.' The Department of Health is responsible for overseeing the delivery of healthcare in prisons, including drug addiction services. 'Substance use services provided within the prisons include Start360's AD:EPT programme (Alcohol and Drugs: Empowering People Through) and the healthcare in prison clinical addictions team,' it said. 'Increased investment has been provided by the department over the past three years to support individuals with drug and alcohol issues within the prison setting. "This includes additional funding for those requiring Opiate Substitution Treatment in prison and to support individuals with the transition between prison to the community including those most at risk and with complex needs.'
South Wales Argus
12-05-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Emma Little-Pengelly tells of fear after receiving online death threat
Ms Little-Pengelly told the Stormont Assembly she had received an online threat and that an individual had been prosecuted and is awaiting sentencing. The DUP minister received support from a number of MLAs during ministerial question time as she revealed the abuse. In response to a question about ending violence against women and girls, Ms Little-Pengelly said: 'The Online Safety Act of 2023 introduced new UK-wide laws that protect both children and adults from online harm and place specific obligations on online service providers. 'We support Ofcom's call to tech companies to play their part in addressing the risk of online harm and recently met with them to discuss this important issue.' She added: 'I am pleased to have got confirmation in the last couple of weeks that a person had been successfully prosecuted under a Section 181 charge against me. 'That was sending messages by way of online communication, conveying a threat of death or serious harm, and at the time of sending, intended the individual, which was me, would be in fear that the threat would be carried out. 'That is one of the more serious charges in that legislation. 'I am pleased there has been a successful prosecution of that and that he will be sentenced very shortly.' Alliance Party MLA Eoin Tennyson, who had asked the original question, sent his solidarity to the deputy First Minister. Ms Little-Pengelly said: 'The member will be aware that for many years, myself, along with my colleagues, have advocated for stronger protections of women. 'We have seen in recent months threats and abuse of public representatives right across this house, men and women. 'We have raised before there is a particular issue, as recognised by a number of reports, towards women. 'In this particular incident, and I know many of us get a significant amount of abuse, but in this particular case with a specific threat of death being communicated. 'I am glad that legislation was there. It is a good demonstration that the Online Safety Act can and will be used to successfully prosecute. We await the sentencing of that. 'I think it is incredibly important that the courts do take these matters seriously. 'This is an issue which unites all of us to stand shoulder to shoulder to say it is absolutely wrong that there is abuse, threats of violence towards any public person, never mind elected representatives just trying to do their job.' SDLP MLA Cara Hunter sent her support to the deputy First Minister (Liam McBurney/PA) She added: 'Women have a right to participate in public life without suffering abuse or threats of violence. 'Indeed we want to actively encourage women to get into public life. 'However, we sadly do know that women in public life are subjected to sustained and serious abuse on social media.' SDLP MLA Cara Hunter, who has also been the subject of online abuse, said nobody should face any kind of threat just for doing their job. Ms Little-Pengelly said: 'I felt afraid, I continue to feel afraid in terms of looking to the future because of the actions of this individual. 'I think that is utterly wrong.'
Western Telegraph
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Emma Little-Pengelly tells of fear after receiving online death threat
Ms Little-Pengelly told the Stormont Assembly she had received an online threat and that an individual had been prosecuted and is awaiting sentencing. The DUP minister received support from a number of MLAs during ministerial question time as she revealed the abuse. In response to a question about ending violence against women and girls, Ms Little-Pengelly said: 'The Online Safety Act of 2023 introduced new UK-wide laws that protect both children and adults from online harm and place specific obligations on online service providers. 'We support Ofcom's call to tech companies to play their part in addressing the risk of online harm and recently met with them to discuss this important issue.' She added: 'I am pleased to have got confirmation in the last couple of weeks that a person had been successfully prosecuted under a Section 181 charge against me. 'That was sending messages by way of online communication, conveying a threat of death or serious harm, and at the time of sending, intended the individual, which was me, would be in fear that the threat would be carried out. 'That is one of the more serious charges in that legislation. 'I am pleased there has been a successful prosecution of that and that he will be sentenced very shortly.' Alliance Party MLA Eoin Tennyson, who had asked the original question, sent his solidarity to the deputy First Minister. Ms Little-Pengelly said: 'The member will be aware that for many years, myself, along with my colleagues, have advocated for stronger protections of women. 'We have seen in recent months threats and abuse of public representatives right across this house, men and women. 'We have raised before there is a particular issue, as recognised by a number of reports, towards women. 'In this particular incident, and I know many of us get a significant amount of abuse, but in this particular case with a specific threat of death being communicated. 'I am glad that legislation was there. It is a good demonstration that the Online Safety Act can and will be used to successfully prosecute. We await the sentencing of that. 'I think it is incredibly important that the courts do take these matters seriously. 'This is an issue which unites all of us to stand shoulder to shoulder to say it is absolutely wrong that there is abuse, threats of violence towards any public person, never mind elected representatives just trying to do their job.' SDLP MLA Cara Hunter sent her support to the deputy First Minister (Liam McBurney/PA) She added: 'Women have a right to participate in public life without suffering abuse or threats of violence. 'Indeed we want to actively encourage women to get into public life. 'However, we sadly do know that women in public life are subjected to sustained and serious abuse on social media.' SDLP MLA Cara Hunter, who has also been the subject of online abuse, said nobody should face any kind of threat just for doing their job. Ms Little-Pengelly said: 'I felt afraid, I continue to feel afraid in terms of looking to the future because of the actions of this individual. 'I think that is utterly wrong.'
