Eastwood Park Detention Centre detainees who suffered physical abuse from members of staff will be able to claim compensation for physical abuse and in some cases psychological injuries, the Ministry of Justice announced earlier this month.
Eastwood Park Detention Centre, in Falfield, South Gloucestershire originally opened in 1964 to house up to 95 boys, expanding to 146 in 1975. However, by 1989 it had turned into a Young Offenders Institute, set to reform 14-20 year-old offenders serving sentences of up to three months.
It was said that the detention centre was meant to give these youngsters a ‘short, sharp shock’, however, it was later found that staff at Eastwood Park took this too far, and saw it as a green light to physically abuse young men.
Patrick Devaney, a former Officer at Eastwood Park was found guilty of misconduct in a public office and repeatedly assaulting boys in his care when he worked there between 1970-1983.
Today, Eastwood Park Prison serves as a closed category prison for women and continues to receive backlash for its poor practices. In its 2021-2022 annual report, the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) highlighted Eastwood Park to be a prison of national concern.
The report found the facility had an extreme staff shortage, high levels of self-harm and numerous women being imprisoned with severe mental illnesses.
Meanwhile, a former inmate spoke to the BBC about the “horrendous” conditions and poor care she received during her 10 weeks at Eastwood Park HMP.
“People self-harm in prison in ways that I have never even imagined,”
“No wounds get bandaged, there’s no aftercare plan, there’s no appropriate response to ensure that these things don’t happen again,” she said.
Another report in 2023 highlighted how these women were kept in ‘blood stained’ cells as Chief inspector of prisons, Charlie Taylor said an inspector described conditions as the “worst he had ever seen”. It has also been given the lowest safety rating possible.
Now, victims who suffered physical abuse or assaults historically at Eastwood Park Detention Centre during the 70s and 80s will be able to claim for their damages through a new compensation scheme.
Our specialist Abuse Claims Solicitor, Molly Frost, supports the scheme and hopes that it goes some way to helping the men who want there get closure.
Molly said:
“The scheme has been a long time coming and I know the lawyers involved in setting up the scheme have worked hard to ensure that it offers compensation to all those who suffered physical abuse at the Detention Centre, irrespective of how long they were there.”
Compensation will be paid to ex-detainees who were physically abused/assaulted whilst serving their sentence.
Eastwood Park Compensation Scheme – How will it work?
There will be three categories of compensation under the scheme:
- Those who spent up to three months at the Centre
- Those who spent over three months at the Centre
- Those who sustained a lasting physical or psychological injury as a direct result of their treatment at Eastwood Park, irrespective of how long they were at the Centre
How much compensation will I get?
Compensation awards will range between £3,000-£9,500.
The Ministry of Justice has also confirmed that it will also provide an apology as part of any settlement.
Anyone awarded compensation under the scheme will receive 100% of their award, as the scheme will provide separate payment for your legal fees, so no fees will need to be deducted from your award.
Sexual abuse at Eastwood Park – Can I still claim?
It is anticipated that claims arising out of sexual abuse will also be considered under the scheme, but your solicitor will advise you regarding this as you may be able to pursue a claim for sexual abuse through the usual civil litigation process in any event.
What should I do if I want to pursue a claim under the scheme?
At Oakwood Solicitors, we have a dedicated team with over 20 years experience of in acting for survivors of abuse. Our specialists have dealt with many similar scheme cases as well as civil claims.
We can do all the work for you and ensure that you recover the maximum award that you are eligible for under the Scheme.
If you want to enquire about your Eastwood Park claim or regarding entitlement to compensation, please contact our team on 0113 200 9720, or fill out the enquiry form at the top of this page.
Further reading
Eastwood Park Compensation Scheme – Oakwood Solicitors
Historic Abuse claims – Oakwood Solicitors
WHAT TO DO NEXT
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