Banter classes organised for prison guards so convicts aren't offended

‘Banter classes’ are being organised for prison guards to ensure they don’t offend convicts or hurt their feelings

• This comes after 124 prisoners complained about how they were spoken to 

As old lag Fletcher said in the TV comedy Porridge, ‘Would you Adam and Eve it!’ – prison guards are having to attend ‘banter classes’ so they don’t offend inmates.

Fletcher, played by Ronnie Barker from 1974 to 1977, often sparred with warders.

But now training has been organised for officers at HMP Gartree in Leicestershire, which holds 450 prisoners on life sentences.  

A dedicated ‘equality action team’ has also been deployed at the prison to ensure jailers don’t ‘slip up’ and use words or phrases that might be deemed ‘unsuitable’. 

It comes after the Prison Service ordered officers to stop calling criminals ‘convicts’ in case it offended them.

Training has been organised for officers at HMP Gartree prison in Leicestershire (pictured) so they don’t offend inmates

A report from HMP Gartree found that 124 prisoners complained about how they were spoken to in the past year [Stock photo]

A report this week from the Independent Monitoring Boards watchdog detailed the new measures at Gartree after 124 prisoners complained about how they were spoken to in the past year.

It said it was ‘vital to ensure [prisoners] are heard’ and highlighted transgender inmates as needing special treatment.

The report states: ‘Staff events are taking place such as menopause awareness and challenging banter.’

A prison source who has worked in jails for 15 years said officers were being taught to ‘be aware’ of such characteristics as sexual orientation, disability, age, weight, religion and nationality.

He added: ‘You can’t make jokes about someone’s age or weight, and any reference to disability or religion is a no-no. You can hardly even take the mick out of the football team someone supports.’

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