Regina (Ponting) v Governor of HMP Whitemoor, Secretary of State for the Home Department: CA 22 Feb 2002

The applicant appealed a refusal of permission to use a computer for preparation of materials for his litigation save under conditions imposed by the Prisons Service. He was dyslexic, and with a low IQ. He claimed that the conditions operated so as effectively to restrict his access to justice, and to interfere with his right for privacy for his correspondence.
Held: A balance was to be found with good order and discipline, and security, and the prisoner’s rights. Circumstances might exist where restrictions on the use of a computer would interfere with both rights, but in this case they did not save only the restriction on their use to overnight hours..

Judges:

Lord Justice Schiemann, Lord Justice Clarke, Lady Justice Arden

Citations:

[2002] EWHC 215 (Admin )

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedRegina (Daly) v Secretary of State for the Home Department HL 23-May-2001
A prison policy requiring prisoners not to be present when their property was searched and their mail was examined was unlawful. The policy had been introduced after failures in search procedures where officers had been intimidated by the presence . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Prisons, Human Rights

Updated: 05 June 2022; Ref: scu.167662