Prisoners are to receive compensation for being forced to come off drugs cold turkey while in jail.
Drugs charity DrugScope said the group of six inmates and former inmates who used heroin and other opiates were on the verge of settling out of court with the Prison Service.
The case - alleging that the "cold turkey" withdrawal treatment they were forced to undergo amounted to "assault" - was scheduled to start at the High Court today.
The size of the pay-outs under discussion has not been revealed.
But the compensation levels are due to be finalised tomorrow or Wednesday, legal sources said.(It's believed that it was settled out of court in the region of £750,000 - just over £3,500 per prisoner)
High Court judge Mr Justice Langstaff gave the go-ahead in May for a full hearing of the case.
It focused on six test cases chosen from a total pool of 198 claimants. When finally resolved this week, all 198 may be handed compensation by the Prison Service - with sums potentially running into tens of thousands of pounds.
Mr Justice Langstaff said in May: "All claim that their treatment was handled inappropriately and so they suffered injuries and had difficulties with their withdrawal."
3 comments:
Wonderful- Pay them the money so they can go out and purchase more drugs.
Seems a better solution to not only offer them treatment but enforce it... free of charge.
judas priest...that makes my ass hurt...too fucking bad junkies..should have thought of that before they stuck that first needle in their arm...
Fuck 'em ! They're on drugs ! Cold turkey will cure them . Next they'll be asking for a pool room with a tv and 3 meals a day. sheeesh !
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