Jail chiefs accused after officer is jabbed with inmate's needle

Nov 23 2008 By Marion Scott

A PRISON officer who was jabbed with a junkie inmate's needle is to sue his bosses for failing to protect him.

Craig Bell, 34, was pricked with the syringe as he searched a shoplifter at Polmont Young Offenders Institution and feared he may contract deadly hepatitis C.

He claims the stress drove him to drink and he was sacked after collapsing unconscious in the street during a booze session.

Craig, of Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow, has since been given the all-clear by medics.

He claims police should have searched the prisoner before he came to Polmont.

He also insists he should have been given better protective gloves. Craig claims he was not issued with needle-proof turtle-skin gloves, which cost almost £200 a pair, and had to make do with thin latex surgical gloves.

He said: "The prisoner had a pair of scissors, two syringes and some of the items he'd stolen.

"He should have been properly searched by the police and the items removed.

"I spent six months fearing I might die from hepatitis C."

Craig says there were delays in getting him treatment, with the prison nurse applying just antiseptic lotion - a breach of Scottish Prison Service policy. He added: "I was then shattered to be told that vaccinations I'd been given previously to protect me from hep. C hadn't worked."

Strathclyde Police have apologised and offered him £8000, which he has refused. They said they are in talks with Craig's solicitor.

Lawyer Cameron Fyfe said: "We are alleging negligence against the police for failing to search the prisoner and SPS for failing to provide proper protective gloves.

We'll be making a substantial claim."

The SPS said they did not comment on individual members of staff.