Prison
Power outage at prison impacts inmates and security
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Government has finally confirmed that HMP Northward lost power on Sunday. While officials have remained extremely tight-lipped about the consequences, CNS understands there have been significant security concerns. Power was lost as the Caribbean Utilities Company (CUC) was conducting routine maintenance.
Prison officer denies misconduct charge over ganja
(CNS): Derron Winston Watson, a senior officer at HMP Northward, appeared in Grand Court on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to one charge of misconduct in public office. Watson was allegedly found in possession of ganja during a joint operation by HM Cayman Islands Prison Service, the Department of Public Safety Communications and the RCIPS […]
Prison officer charged and bailed in smuggling case
(CNS): A long-serving senior prison officer who was arrested last week on suspicion of smuggling ganja into the men’s jail has been charged and bailed after appearing in court Friday. Derron Watson will return to Grand Court on Friday, 15 March. He was arrested following a joint operation by HM Cayman Islands Prison Service, the […]
Prison officer arrested for smuggling ganja into jail
(CNS): A senior prison officer who was caught smuggling contraband into HMP Northward was arrested on Wednesday, 28 February, during a joint operation by HM Cayman Islands Prison Service, the Department of Public Safety Communications and the police. The RCIPS did not specify what the contraband was or the name of the officer involved. However, […]
Prisoners face housing challenges post-release
(CNS): The lack of appropriate residential facilities for prisoners being released on licence is causing concern for the Conditional Release Board (formerly the Parole Board), which has called for the government to focus on improving rehabilitation services rather than tougher sentences. The board said those being released need support to help them stay out of […]
Police and prison round up Christmas smugglers
(CNS): Multiple packages of drugs being smuggled into HMP Northward were intercepted by prison security over the Christmas break and three people were arrested, according to the RCIPS. Another two people have been formally charged with drug smuggling offences from earlier operations. The police said they have been working closely with both the prison and […]
Prison fire began in high risk unit cell
(CNS): As the joint investigation by the Cayman Islands Fire Service and the police into a fire at HMP Northward on Tuesday continues, officials have revealed that the blaze started in the high-risk unit where category A prisoners are held. Initial information is that prison officers detected smoke within a prisoner’s cell on the unit […]
Lifer gets third chance on licensed release
(CNS): Philip Glennon Ebanks (59), who was serving a life sentence for a murder he committed when he was just 17 years old and convicted of almost eight years later, was released on licence Thursday for the third time. Ebanks was first paroled in 2013 after serving 24 years in jail, but after committing two […]
Prisoner escapes during medical visit
(CNS): An unidentified HMP Northward inmate escaped the custody of prison officers last Friday evening after he was taken to the George Town hospital for medical treatment. Police said they soon apprehended and arrested the prisoner for escaping lawful custody and took him to the detention centre. But they did not say how long the […]
Fatal crash boat capt caught with ganja in jail
(CNS): Sean Michael McDonald (40), who is serving more than seven years in prison for killing two people in a horrific nighttime boat crash in the North Sound in 2019, is now accused of smuggling ganja into the jail. The day he was remanded to begin serving his time he was caught with an undisclosed […]
HMP Northwood inmate raped by another prisoner
(CNS): HM Cayman Islands Prison Service is investigating a report of a serious sexual assault of an inmate at HMP Northward by another prisoner on Monday. A 46-year-old inmate has been arrested in relation to the incident and remains in the custody of the prison service. Special measures are being taken to safeguard the adult […]
