Ms. Joanne Caffrey

My experience as an expert witness includes advising upon, approximately, 200 cases. These cases are distributed between England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and the Isle of Man.

The cases involve custody sectors of police, prison, mental health, immigration, security staff and the children’s sector. (Custody commences from the point of initial contact & arrest).

I have provided my services for coroner, fatal accident inquiries, civil, criminal and misconduct cases. I have been engaged by coroners and legal teams representing the defence and prosecution.

I have repeat business from the Police Federation, Police Ombudsman agencies and the Crown Office.

My main areas of service concern:
• Death during restraints
• Serious injury during restraints
• Ligature deaths

I am registered with, and vetted by, the National Crime Agency (NCA) for custody topics.

I have currently been engaged for 12 ligature deaths in custody and several deaths during restraints.

I have been engaged for the Public Inquiry into the restraint death of Mr Sheku Bayoh.

Safer Custody is a national holistic strategy for providing a common framework of understanding and governance concerning any detained person within the secure or Criminal Justice System, regardless of which agent is currently caring for the person. From point of stop and search/arrest, through police, court and prison custody, and all associated private contractors providing transport services between the agencies.

The secure custody sector includes:
• the prisons and young offender institutions (YOIs),
• police custody,
• secure transport services,
• court custody,
• immigration,
• child secure accommodation,
• mental health,
• customs custody,
• and military detention.

I was a police officer for nearly 24 years, 17 of these as a sergeant. I specialised in the Safer Handling of Detained Persons / Safer Custody, and the use of force. I served 7 years as a custody sergeant dealing with male and female detainees, police detainees under PACE and convicted prisoners under Prison Rules and prison PSIs and PSOs during Operation Container.

Safer Custody topics include:
• Use of force and use of restraints
• Custody staff and training requirements
• Custody paperwork
• Risk assessments of detainees
• Risk assessments of cells, buildings and activities
• Information sources e.g. PNC, PER
• Transportation & fleet management
• Management and supervision of detainees – visits, rousing, cell searches
• Equality and person centred care
• Healthcare and medication requirements
• Safe storage and management of medication
• Clinical/ medical settings and staff within custody
• Cell occupancy and cell risk sharing assessments
• Hygiene – bedding, toilets, clothing and cleaning
• Out of cells – showers, socialisation, exercise, interviews
• Food safety – choking assessments and food safety
• Dependencies – alcohol, drugs
• Mental ill health – assessments, medical needs, adaptations, use of force risks, acute behaviour disturbance, excited delirium, schizophrenia, depression etc   
• Managing head injuries
• Positional asphyxia
• Infections and communicable diseases
• Technology – CCTV, audio recording
• Multi-disciplinary safeguarding processes
• Custody contingency planning
• Sector specific national guidance – prison Service PSIs & PSOs, Police PACE & Codes of Practice

The UK’s three custody areas are England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The three custody areas have their own governance structures, and their own policies and procedures, but they all comply with the European Custody Standards, including:
• The CPT Standards 2015, which are the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 2015;
• United Nations Mandela Rules (2015);
• United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhumane and Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT);
• UK’s National Preventative Mechanism (NPM)

Professional Expert Witness with Bond Solon Legal Training in conjunction with Cardiff University Law School.

Further information on my training and consulting operations can be found at: www.totaltrain.co.uk