Waiting at court - going to prison

When given a prison sentence or remanded in custody the prisoner will be taken from the court room to holding cells to await transfer to prison.

At this time contact with family and friends will not be allowed and the prisoner will not be told which prison they are going to. A lawyer may be able to see the prisoner and pass on messages from family and friends.

Property

All belongings including money, mobile phones, jewellery, belts and shoe laces should be handed over to court officials. The prisoner will also need to demonstrate their pockets are empty.

Possessions will be documented, bagged and zip locked, then stored securely ready to be taken to prison with the prisoner for processing. Court officials will pat search the prisoner for safety reasons.

Waiting

Prisoners may wait on their own or with others. The waiting time is unspecified and is dependent upon the number of other cases and how long each takes.

Food

Meals will be provided at appropriate times.

Health and Medication

A correctional officer will visit the prisoner to ask a series of health related questions.

Medication and drugs are not allowed in the holding cells. Prisoners who come to a police holding cell will already have records of their last medication and this process will continue.

Any additional requests will be passed to a supervisor for permission and authorisation.

If a prisoner has come from a prison then there will already be an agreed and medically approved process in place, confirmed by a doctor.

If the prisoner has been on bail their medication may be taken with them.  If there is a health issue guidance will be sought on each case.

The transfer

The prisoner will then be taken to a van and transferred to prison. The prisoner's belongings will be placed in a secure location in the van.