"Scrutiny" The Steve Pallett way (2)

In continuance of our series concerning the allegations made by disgraced former so-called "Drug Counsellor" at Jersey's La Moye Prison, Ms Teresa Rodrigues, we bring our readers the latest developments (or not) from the Panel who are tasked with "scrutinising" the policies and procedures of the Home Affairs Department which includes the Prison.

We first reported on this subject two weeks ago where we published a series of e-mails between VFC, the Chairman of Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel, Constable Steve Pallet and Scrutiny Panel Member (another) Constable Michel Le Troquer which was published HERE.

Regular readers will know (from the link above) that Ms. Rodrigues claimed, in a National Newspaper, that she had two year sexual relationship (whilst employed at the prison) with prison inmate Curtis Warren.

Scrutiny Chairman, Constable Steve Pallett, refused to take the allegations seriously because they appeared in a newspaper that was nasty about a friend of his and went on to say (in the link above) "At present there is nothing to suggest that this is anything other than a ‘sensationalised’ story from a national newspaper with little in the way of evidence to support the allegations.

At present I do not see a role for the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel in this matter."

Yet in the same e-mail exchange Panel Member Le Troquer wrote;

"If true then there are a lot of explanations to be made……..and I don’t know how anyone will be able explain away such allegations." 

But now, yet more allegations (mentioned in video below) have surfaced, in the form of, what appears to be, an e-mail from a current member of the prison staff, sent to Deputy Montfort Tadier, parts of the State Media, seen by Constable Pallett and others, to include the Home Affairs Minister, which outlines allegations of, what only can be described as, a culture of corruption up at the Prison. We reproduce a redacted version of the e-mail here.

"Dear all,

First I will apologise for sending this information in this way, I do not have the strength to identify myself as I will be subjected to persecution by prison management and will lose my job which […] I cannot afford to do but I cant stay silent anymore.

The story instigated by Theresa Rodrigues is on the whole a fairy tale but it opens up other questions that should be asked.

Rodrigues was suspected investigated and challenged for numerous acts including sexual activity with numerous inmates(not warren) supply of drugs phones and pornographic materials. She was allowed to leave with pension reputation and a pay off from management. 

Officer AA was suspected investigated and found guilty of the same and again was allowed to leave with reputation pension intact and move too another states job

Officer BB found guilty after investigation for supply of drugs   no action taken, still states employee.

Counsellor CC guilty of supplying mobile phones to inmates  no action taken

Civilian DD   guilty of supply of drugs phones and pornographic material.. no action taken

Officer EE   Guilty of having improper relationship with Curtis Warren, passing and smuggling items and mail in and out of prison.  no action taken

Officer FF having affair with inmate..no action taken

The questions asked should be why have all these incidents been covered up by X, ultimately the buck stops with the Governor but it is common knowledge X who runs La Moye and makes the decisions.

Several Officers convicted of violent offences and kept job because of personally protected by X 

The moral in the prison is the lowest by far in the 10+ years I have been there, the management especially X run a regime based on corruption, bullying and lies and deceit."(END)

Readers/viewers/listeners will discover from the questioning in the States (Island's Parliament) this morning it now transpires that Scrutiny Panel Chairman Pallet won't believe allegations from somebody who has "blown the whistle" without anonymity in the "accredited" media (Rodrigues in the Mail). He won't pay attention to anything in the "unaccredited" media and won't take on board the allegations made in the above e-mail because the author of it wants to maintain their anonymity presumably for fear of suffering what is known as "The Jersey Way."

There is little doubt that there is an urgent need for a review to be carried out into the "practices"/policies/procedures at the prison which falls under the remit of the Scrutiny Panel. Yet the Chairman won't believe somebody who DOES waive their anonymity and won't believe somebody who DOESN'T waive their anonymity. He won't believe allegations published in the "accredited" media and won't believe allegations made in the "unaccredited" media.

Steve Pallett should resign forthwith or his Panel should call a vote of no confidence against him. 

Teresa Rodrigues, La Moye Prison, a Raft of Questions/Allegations and a Call For Information.

In continuation of what will now be a series of posts concerning the allegations made in a national newspaper by a former so-called "Drug Counsellor" from La Moye Prison in Jersey Teresa Rodrigues.

Ms Rodrigues claimed to have had a two year affair with prisoner Curtis Warren whilst she was employed at the prison and gave (possibly sold) her story to the Mail newspaper which was published HERE.

VFC, after reading the article, contacted the Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel (Parliamentary Select Committee) in order to get some answers and to ask if the Panel would be investigating these very serious allegations made by Ms Rodrigues, or would be asking the Home Affairs Minister to make a public statement?

Regular readers will be aware that the response received from the Panel Chairman was dismissive, rude, and quite frankly "staggering" which can, and should, be read HERE.

Deputy Montfort Tadier submitted an Urgent Oral Question, (Below) to the discredited, and disgraced, Minister of Home Affairs at the earliest opportunity concerning the allegations made by Ms Rodrigues in the National Newspaper. The "answers" given were completely unsatisfactory and left us with more questions than answers.......Yet again.

Deputy M. Tadier of St. Brelade will ask the following urgent oral question of the Minister for Home Affairs –

“Would the Minister advise whether a former prison employee had an inappropriate relationship with a prisoner at HMP La Moye and, if so, what assurances can he give that correct safeguards are in place so that such alleged practice may not occur in future?”

The "answer" can be listened to HERE.

In the video below Deputy Tadier discusses the information he, and others, have received concerning the alleged "practices" up at the prison and makes some startling claims which suggest that Ms Rodrigues' alleged affair with Curtis Warren is just the tip of the iceberg.

VFC has spoken with a number of credible sources who tell us Ms Rodrigues was making a good income on the side, up at the prison, by selling mobile phones and drugs to prisoners at extremely high rates for quite some time, and that just about everybody knew of Ms' Rodrigues' antics but she was "untouchable" and earned the nick-name, among some staff members as "Teflon Teresa" (nothing could stick). We have also been told that if she did have an affair with Curtis Warren, then he wasn't the only one. But more about that in up-coming posts.

It looks as though Ms Rodrigues' revelations/allegations, in the Newspaper, has opened up a whole new can of worms and as viewers/readers will discover (from the video below) she is not the only member of the prison staff to be accused of abusing her position.

It's at this point we remember the words from Scrutiny Panel Chairman Constable Steve Pallett. "At present I do not see a role for the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel in this matter."

We acknowledge that the prison authorities, Home Affairs, and Ms Rodrigues will strenuously deny the allegations made in this Blog, and interview, which will give more reason to hold an "independent" Committee of Inquiry so we can get to the truth.



Deputy Tadier can be contacted at m.tadier@gov.je