Latest news with #ConstitutionalandLegalAffairsandJusticeCommittee
BBC News
11-04-2025
- BBC News
Isle of Man Prison being 'tested' by capacity issues
Every aspect of the Isle of Man Prison is being "tested" due to capacity issues, a Home Affairs boss has told a committee.A Constitutional and Legal Affairs and Justice Committee heard that the Isle of Man Prison in Jurby had 160 prisoners, as of Monday, out of a total capacity of 167. Chief Executive of the Department of Home Affairs Dan Davies said the number of prisoners had "continued to increase" since April said the department had been looking at alternatives such as tagging instead of custodial sentences for some offenders and building an extra wing at the Jurby facility. While the official capacity of the prison was 141 that had increased to 143 after two isolation cells had become normal cells. The facility had also been using 24 extra cells housed in portable cabins, which had previously been described as a temporary solution. 'Remarkable job' There were currently 66 prisoners serving long-term sentences, which means those longer than four years, he told the Davies said the prison's staff were doing a "remarkable job" and cooperation from prisoners had also been "really important".He said work was under way to look at alternatives to custody, options to expand prison capacity, but also what happens when prisoners leave the facility. Released prisoners need secure accommodation but the bail hostel was currently full, he said. Mr Davies said if prisoners go back into the community but do not have secure accommodation, employment or a stable family environment, there was a risk of for Justice and Home Affairs,Jane Poole-Wilson, said the department was "closely monitoring" the trends of offending and the types of sentences. She noted that there were more sexual offences being prosecuted since the introduction of the Sexual Offences and Obscene Publications Act 2021, which came into force in March last year. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Yahoo
Rise in sexual offence reports after laws updated
There has been a rise in the number of sexual offences reported on the Isle of Man since the laws were updated in 2024. The Sexual Offences and Obscene Publications Act 2021 modernised laws and brought in new offences, including revenge porn and upskirting. Giving evidence to a Tynwald committee, Director of Prosecutions Chrissie Hunt her office had seen "a significant increase in our work". Ms Hunt said that in the last 12 months police recorded a rise from 34% to 62% of offences ending in positive prosecution. Tynwald's Constitutional and Legal Affairs and Justice Committee held the evidence session this week. Since the laws were modernised, she said a "different operating model" was being used, whereas they had previously been "labouring under some quite elderly legislation in terms of sexual offending". Ms Hunt said at the start of her prosecuting career "many years ago" it was "very victim focused but entirely in the wrong way", as questions had surrounded why the victim had made a series of choices or actions. They were now "much more defendant focused", where "myths and stereotypes are rejected right the way down the line" in investigations, she said. All prosecutors had now been trained to deal with rape and serious sexual offending with the UK's Crown Prosecution Service, as well as being trained in dealing with trauma, she explained. Police data recorded in the Chief Constable's Annual Report showed that there were 41 reports of rape in the 2023-24 year, seven of which were concluded with a "positive prosecution". Statistics also showed that 15 of those initial reports did not go any further due to a lack of evidence or conflicting accounts. The new laws came in alongside updated domestic abuse legislation. Ms Hunt said they were working closely with the island's police force and overall it was "moving in the right direction." Why not follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X? You can also send story ideas to IsleofMan@ Rise in referrals for support for domestic abuse Tougher sexual offences laws come into force Support charity welcomes new sexual offence laws Work to start on dedicated assault referral centre Isle of Man Courts of Justice Chief Constable's Annual Report Constitutional and Legal Affairs and Justice Committee
BBC News
31-01-2025
- BBC News
Rise in sexual offence reports after Isle of Man laws updated
There has been a rise in the number of sexual offences reported on the Isle of Man since the laws were updated in Sexual Offences and Obscene Publications Act 2021 modernised laws and brought in new offences, including revenge porn and evidence to a Tynwald committee, Director of Prosecutions Chrissie Hunt her office had seen "a significant increase in our work".Ms Hunt said that in the last 12 months police recorded a rise from 34% to 62% of offences ending in positive prosecution. Tynwald's Constitutional and Legal Affairs and Justice Committee held the evidence session this week. 'Stereotypes rejected' Since the laws were modernised, she said a "different operating model" was being used, whereas they had previously been "labouring under some quite elderly legislation in terms of sexual offending".Ms Hunt said at the start of her prosecuting career "many years ago" it was "very victim focused but entirely in the wrong way", as questions had surrounded why the victim had made a series of choices or actions. They were now "much more defendant focused", where "myths and stereotypes are rejected right the way down the line" in investigations, she prosecutors had now been trained to deal with rape and serious sexual offending with the UK's Crown Prosecution Service, as well as being trained in dealing with trauma, she data recorded in the Chief Constable's Annual Report showed that there were 41 reports of rape in the 2023-24 year, seven of which were concluded with a "positive prosecution".Statistics also showed that 15 of those initial reports did not go any further due to a lack of evidence or conflicting accounts. The new laws came in alongside updated domestic abuse legislation. Ms Hunt said they were working closely with the island's police force and overall it was "moving in the right direction."
