Officer accused of assault ‘only team member with radio’ on day
A PRISON officer accused of fracturing a prisoner’s skull during a yard clearance was the only officer with a working radio on a high-security wing that day, a court has heard.
David Potts, who worked at HMP Parc, Bridgend, denies causing grievous bodily harm with intent to do so to Michael HastieDavies on August 7, 2016 and the alternative charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm.
The alleged offences happened during an operation in which nine officers wearing protective clothing and carrying shields entered the yard in order to remove Mr Hastie-Davies and two others who had refused to come back inside.
On Tuesday Potts, 25, of Coity, near Bridgend, told the jury at his trial at Newport Crown Court that he started working at the prison as a health care assistant before becoming a prison officer.
He said he was immediately assigned to a highrisk unit for prisoners at risk of self-harm, despite most officers requiring two years’ experience “on the landings” before working in a high-risk area.
Potts said he saved two inmates who had tried to hang themselves while on that unit before being moved to the Phoenix Unit, a segregation unit which was for prisoners who had caused trouble.
He said: “I thought I had a good relationship with prisoners, obviously I did not get on with everyone like out in the community.
“They did not want to be down on the (Phoenix) block.
“We would work out the issues and get them back up to the wings as quick as possible.”
Potts said there should have been four officers on duty on the unit but that on August 7 there was only three and he reported that but was told “that we were short (staffed) throughout the prison” and to “manage as best we could”.
He said he was with Mr Hastie-Davies and two other inmates on the exercise yard when he heard a “fire indication” on his radio.
Potts said it was not ideal to leave prisoners on the yard but added: “If the fire wasn’t on my wing I would not have responded.
“I was the only member of the team with a working radio that day.
“I can’t remember who I reported it to but I believe I reported it.
“It was due to a lack of batteries.”
Potts said it was while dealing with the fire, which another inmate had started in his cell, that he became aware that the three prisoners on the yard were refusing to come in.
He said he was told by a senior manager to go and get his control and restraint (C&R) kit and that as far as he knew this was a “proper Tornado shout” meaning all other avenues of getting the prisoners off the yard, such as negotiation, had failed.
Potts’ co-defendant, Nathan White, 28, of Mill View Estate, Maesteg, is accused of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and the alternative charge of common assault in re- lation to using his shield to strike a second inmate during the clearance, Ryan Madden, who suffered bruising and cuts.
White told police he struck Mr Madden in a bid to get him to open his hands in case he had a concealed weapon.
Both men deny charges.
The court the previously heard a “catastrophic” failure of management during and leading up to the yard clearance increased the risk of injury for all involved.
Prison officer at HMP Parc James Bibby reviewed CCTV recorded on the day.
Darren Preston, defending Potts, said to him: “Would you agree that what you found (in your review) was that there was a catastrophic lack of management?”
Mr Bibby replied: “Like I have pointed out, procedures were not followed and that is correct.”
The court heard no negotiation with the prisoners had been attempted, nor were the C&R team properly briefed.
The trial continues.