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Back to Ghosting

01 March 1993

Indications that the Home Office had changed its attitude towards Irish prisoners held in Britain for politically-related offences were contradicted by another "ghosting" incident early in March. Although the government accepted the recommendations of the Ferrers Report last November(see Statewatch vol 3 no 1), few prisoners have been transferred back to Northern Ireland. 28 requests for transfer have still not been dealt with. Meanwhile, one of the practices bitterly criticised by relatives and prisoners in the past "ghosting" has again been implemented by the authorities. This involves moving a prisoner to another prison without warning on the day of a visit. In the latest incident, two brothers of Thomas Quigley whom he had not seen for over a year, travelled from Belfast to Parkhurst prison on the Isle of Wight only to find that Quigley had been removed from his cell and taken to Full Sutton prison (York) at 7.45 am that morning. Quigley who is serving a 35 year sentence, says that he has been ghosted in this way on seven occasions during his nine years in prison. In protest at the latest move, three Parkhurst prisoners caused several thousand pounds worth of damage.

Irish News 15.3.93.