Two former Medomsley prison officers jailed over physical abuse on boys

(L-R) Brian Greenwell, Alan Bramley Credit: PA

Two former prison officers at Medomsley Detention Centre in County Durham have been jailed for the physical abuse of young inmates there.

Brian Greenwell, 71, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison.

Alan Bramley, 70, was given a sentence of 18 months.

Both men were found guilty of one count of misconduct in a public office, reflecting consistent violence they inflicted on boys at the detention centre, near Consett, in the 1970s and 1980s.

Greenwell was at Medomsley between 1973 and 1988, and acted as a stand-in chef for part of that time.

His misconduct conviction included evidence he dragged an inmate semi-naked from the toilet, caused injuries by throwing a bread basket at a boy's head, and knocked another boy semi-conscious with a punch.

The court was told that Greenwell received the Imperial Service Medal from the Queen in 2002, reflecting his charity work.

Bramley was a discipline officer at Medomsley between 1973 and 1977, and later became a governor at several other prisons.

The misconduct charge for which he was convicted included evidence that he assaulted a number of inmates, inflicting punches, kicks, and striking a boy with a key chain.

Three other former prison officers at Medomsley were jailed a fortnight ago, after also being found guilty of physical abuse.

The combined jail time for the five men is 17 years and 11 months.

Credit: ITV News/PA

1,784 people have now come forward to allege they were victims of physical or sexual abuse at Medomsley, as part of a Durham Police investigation which has become one of the largest of its kind in the country.

Dozens of former detainees have given evidence during three trials, of seven former prison officers, over the last eight months at Teesside Crown Court.

Two men were cleared of all charges.

All sexual abuse charges received not guilty verdicts.

The police and Crown Prosecution Service are due to decide whether to bring charges against six other staff members.

Credit: Tyne Tees Television

Medomsley Detention Centre was open between 1961 and 1988. Boys aged between 17 and 21 were sent there, normally for six to eight weeks, having been convicted of relatively minor offences.

Former Medomsley chef Neville Husband and caretaker Leslie Johnson have previously been jailed for sexually abusing detainees. Both have since died.

All five men - Christopher Onslow, Brian Greenwell, John McGee, Kevin Blakely and Alan Bramley - have all submitted appeals against their convictions.