Synopsis
Tom Murtagh OBE was a governor at The Maze Prison and Armagh Prison, Northern Ireland before becoming Area Manager - one of the highest ranks in HM Prison Service - for Kent, Surrey and Sussex. Building on a fine record and long experience he set out to raise standards in all the prisons under his charge, only to be demonised by a Parliamentary Home Affairs Committee in 'The Blantyre House Prison Affair'.
In this autobiographical account he tells his side of the story: the background, key facts, matters of intelligence that were confidential at the time, and about how the events led to his vilification as his strategically-informed messages and voice were ignored.
Reviews
'A strikingly interesting and well written book':
Justice of the Peace ‘I recognize some of the scenarios only too clearly. This is a story that needs a public airing, no matter which side the reader finally comes down on. Blantyre House is a prison that borders on my own constituency, one with a high reputation and long history of success. Then it suddenly found itself at the centre of a scandal. Because of the role of the prison many people assumed that there had been an over-reaction by HM Prison Service. What follows is a story of nothing less than the institutionalising of public emotions’:
The Rt. Hon Ann Widdecombe MP, former Prisons Minister 'I was emotionally gripped by this book as soon as I began reading the foreword by former Director General of the Prison Service, Martin Narey. His courageous introductory piece sets the scene for what follows - an absorbing and most disturbing account of events and controversy that began at one of the UK's less well-known (and happily less notorious) prison establishments in 2003, and then developed to engulf the author - Tom Murtagh - then area manager for the Prison Service in Kent, Surrey and Sussex... it reminds us of fragility of trust on which public service too often depends. Although Blantyre House is a relatively small story in the wider context of malversation in public life, it is one that deserves awareness by a wide readership - it is enlightening material for every student of public administration and should invite careful reflection by every committed practitioner in the public services (not just those in criminal justice)':
John Raine, University of Birmingham, Vista Tom Murtagh's actions in managing Blantyre House 'not only preserved all that was good about the Blantyre regime . . . but may have saved my job and perhaps that of the Home Secretary.'
Martin Narey, Director of Barnardo's and former Director-General of HM Prison Service - from the Foreword
'Judgements about the trust to be placed in prisoners, and the action to be taken when it is abused, are part of daily prison life. Corruption among prison staff is rare but HM Prison Service can deal with it when it occurs. For members of Boards of Visitors (now Independent Monitoring Boards), a Home Affairs Committee and the chief inspector of prisons to allow themselves to be deceived and then to criticise public officials - as this book claims did happen - is something different altogether. It becomes a failure of some of the country's most important systems. It is to be hoped that the story is unique. But it sounds a warning about the effectiveness and legitimacy of our institutions and for public accountability as a whole':
David Faulkner CB, Oxford University Centre for Criminological Research 'I am delighted that Tom Murtagh has had the opportunity to add this reflective account to a public record of events which appear to be linked to attempts to have him removed from his post ... If I could recommend one book about HM Prison Service to National Offender Management Service staff and students of politics, criminology and forensic psychology this would undoubtedly be it':
Professor Graham Towl, Chief Psychologist, National Offender Management Service, Home Office 'Progress needs people like Tom Murtagh who never shied away from anything if he believed he was doing right ... It is worrying that MPs, singly or collectively, can be so easily manipulated by what seems to have been lobbying and use of the media ... That's democracy for you! This book is important: not simply for putting the record straight':
David Cottle, Then-chair, Blantyre House Board of Visitors As attacked by
Private Eye ... they still don't get it!
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All royalties from The Blantyre House Prison Affair are being donated to Nacro
