Recently we received the news that Ross Smith, imprisoned in the long-term high security prison HMP Garth for possession of a Skorpion submachine gun and a hand grenade, was called to the ‘Prevent’ team (so-called “anti-extremism senior officers”), who wanted to know about his friendship with released anarchist ex-prisoner Toby Shone. Ross appears to be being hit with the same kind of undeclared censorship and surveillance that was applied to Toby and therefore it is needed to denounce it openly.
Apparently, the hapless and greasy pigs of ‘Prevent’ wanted to know all about Toby and “his plans outside prison”, which fits into a pattern of state repression against the comrade since his release. The names of the Prevent scheme duo are Ian Turner and “Mick” McCormack, acting on orders from a state directive.
Turner and McCormack do not typically identify themselves to the prisoners, they hide their IDs to inmates and wing staff alike, and frequently try to trick prisoners into meeting them, or they go to their cells and ignorantly try to question them about books they are reading or talking about on the telephone, whilst trying to turn prisoners to snitches. Almost any innocuous book could be banned by them, particularly anti-racist, social critique and anti-fascist books, in the case of what our prisoners face.
Ian Turner is a bald-headed screw reptile with narrow eyes and wears glasses, frequently wears more “casual” work clothes, clean shirts, no prison uniform despite claiming to be a senior officer, early 50s, white, northern, clean-shaved. Thinks himself quite clever but actually he is obviously a slimy creep with limited views.
“Mick” McCormack is older, white, late 50s-early60s, claimed to have been in military in the Irish guards regiment, Smelly, bad-breath, furtive, tatty shirt, more traditionally dressed in shabby plainclothes, not in uniform, ginger-brown hair (what little remains of it), frequently unshaved, low intelligence, manipulative, reactionary, appears to be often slightly drunk. McCormack is the more peevish of the duo, and is easy to fuck with.
Both men are cowards and crumble when threats and violence are applied to them – they surely deserve both. During his short stay in the long-term high-security prison, Toby Shone stuck it on both of them and the thin-skinned pair were upset thinking that Toby was free on the same side as the gates as them. Needless to say, Ross had only one response to these scum, and he did not betray his friend or co-operate with these ‘Prevent’ team filth in anyway – “go fuck yourselves!”
Since this time, Ross has been facing enhanced scrutiny and has not been receiving as much solidarity mail, so we’re asking that people can drop him a postcard, letter, etc., since these screws are seeking to isolate him from his community outside.
Fuck the screws, police, ‘Prevent’ and probation
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More about Ross: – By the time Ross gets out he will have done 22 years in prison. Ross would like to hear from you and receive postcards, letters and books. He is part of the counter-culture and likes anarchist ideas, anti-art/Dada, sound-systems, nihilism, ecology and the natural world. Ross likes training and is into fitness. Ross is from North Wales.
Write to Ross:
Ross Smith
A3659DT
HMP Garth
Ulnes Walton
Leyland
PR26 8NE
UK