'Game changing' X-ray scanners in Northern Ireland prisons to be voluntary

Credit: Department of Justice Pictured from left at Maghaberry Prison are The Governor of Maghaberry Prison, David Savage and Director General of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, Ronnie Armour. Northern Ireland prison service has purchased four of the £75,000 Linev ConPass TR X-ray body scanners - two for Maghaberry and one each for Hydebank Wood and Magilligan Prison.
Maghaberry Prison Governor, David Savage and Director General of the NI Prison Service, Ronnie Armour. Credit: Department of Justice

New X-Ray scanners are being introduced to Northern Ireland's prisons in a bid to crackdown on contraband.

It now means that prisons here fall in line with those in the rest of the United Kingdom - a move described as a 'game changer' by the Director General of Northern Ireland Prison Service.

The very first machine has come into operation in HMP Maghaberry in Co Antrim. It is the first of four to be placed in prisons here - two in Maghaberry, one in Magilligan Prison in Co Londonderry and another in Hydebank Wood in Belfast.

Using radiation, the £75,000 scanner is able to detect banned items including drugs, mobile phones and weapons which a prisoner has hidden in their body.

A small dose of radiation is used, even less than what would be administered on a visit to the dentist or a hospital. Northern Ireland Prison Service said the method of detection is safe and will only be used a maximum of 50 times each year on a person.

"We are in a constant battle to stop contraband coming into our prisons," said Director General Ronnie Armour, "individuals smuggling drugs and mobile phones and such like.

Ronnie Armour, Director General of NI Prison Service

"This equipment is really important in helping us to detect if an individual has something secreted internally."

The scanners were initially piloted in England a few years ago before being introduced in Scotland recently.

Figures for 2022 show that 15% of all scans conducted on prisoners in England (31,000 out of 209,000) detected contraband.

Governor of HMP Maghaberry, David Savage, said that points to their success.

"Experience elsewhere indicates that this technology will greatly assist prison officers to control the flow of drugs in our prisons," he said.

David Savage. Governor of HMP Maghaberry

"My message to anyone thinking of attempting to traffic contraband is simple - don't do it, we will find it."

His message is only going to be applicable to certain people.

Firstly, new prisoners in our jails can be scanned. Those prisoners returning from the community can also be X-Rayed as can those who are classed as Category A.

Category A prisoners are determined as being the greatest risk to society, if they were to escape.

Example of contraband discovered at HMP Maghaberry. Credit: Department of Justice

Females and juvenile prisoners, as well as visitors, will not have to be X-Rayed.

However, prisoners are not compelled to use the scanners.

They are being rolled out on a voluntary basis, meaning that if a prisoner refuses to go through the process, traditional methods such as a full body search will still take place.

Ronnie Armour said prisoners will be 'encouraged' by prison staff to use them.

"We will be actively encouraging individuals to participate and obviously if they refuse to do that we will be paying close attention to those individuals."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.