North’s Prisons Ombudsman resigns 18 months early

The North's Prisons Ombudsman has resigned 18 months early because, he says, the post lacks independence.

Brian Coulter has left his job because of worries that prisoners have no confidence in his neutrality.

He says the core of any ombudsman's role is that people feel able to complain and are confident their concerns will be dealt with independently.

Despite criticism of the prison service, he says, relatively few have lodged complaints with him, showing that prisoners do not think it is worth it.

He also says his suggestions were ignored in new draft proposals on criminal justice because of irreconcilable differences with civil servants in the Northern Ireland Office.