McAllister to step down from job as prisons boss

DIRECTOR general of the Northern Ireland Prison Service Sue McAllister will leave her post at the end of October.

Mrs McAllister was appointed in May 2012 and was the first woman to hold the most senior position within a prison service anywhere in the UK.

A recruitment competition will be launched next month for her successor.

She said: “Working in prisons in Northern Ireland is different and I have always been hugely impressed by the courage, professionalism and dedication of my colleagues. They play a crucial part in making Northern Ireland a safer place and I want to thank them all for their hard work over the last four years.”

She added that her role in leading reform of the service had come to a natural end.

Justice Minister Claire Sugden said: “The Prison Service plays a vital role in the justice system and Sue can be proud of what she has achieved in her time as director general.”