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08/03/2019
The Claimant was a prison officer who was taken hostage by an inmate whilst working at HMP Woodhill. She claimed £350,000 in damages for psychiatric injury. William Irwin represented the Ministry of Justice.
The Claimant was taken hostage in an office on one of the prison wings. The prisoner who took her hostage threatened the Claimant with an improvised weapon and told her that he had cut the telephone wires from the office.
The case came to trial at Central London County Court with liability, causation and quantum remaining in issue.
HHJ Saunders dismissed the claim, holding that the Claimant had failed to prove that the prison had mismanaged the risk posed by the prisoner who had taken her hostage.
A media report of the case is here:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7284901/Prison-officer-sues-Ministry-Justice-350-000.html