Susie Richardson, who is currently deputy governor at HMP Winchester, where she has been since 2018, has also worked within the UK Ministry of Justice.
She will take over from Nick Cameron, whose resignation in August followed weeks of questions from the media about his unexplained absence from the prison. The government eventually said that he had left for ‘personal reasons’.
A subsequent freedom of information request led to the publication of emails showing clashes between Mr Cameron and the director general of the Justice and Home Affairs Department, Julian Blazeby.
The correspondence showed that Mr Cameron was dissatisfied with the availability of personal protective equipment for prisoners and staff and is also believed to have disagreed with Mr Blazeby about whether the prison should move into a full lockdown as a result of Covid risks.
It is not known whether the disagreements contributed to Mr Cameron resigning.
Speaking about her appointment, Ms Richardson said: ‘It is an absolute privilege to be serving the community of Jersey in the role of prison governor and to bring my experience of working in every type of prison in the UK to a prison that caters for every offender’s needs in Jersey.
‘I am very much looking forward to working with the different Island agencies and government departments to understand the root causes of crime and have an integrated approach to measurably reduce reoffending and ensure that Jersey is recognised as world-leading in this field.
‘I will be moving to the Island with my husband and three school-aged children
and we all very much look forward to becoming part of the community of Jersey, embracing all that the Island has to offer and ensuring that we give back to this beautiful Island.’
Meanwhile, deputy prison governor Nick Watkins, who has been leading the prison since Mr Cameron’s departure in August, has announced that he will be retiring in May after more than 32 years with the States of Jersey Prison Service.
During his tenure, Mr Watkins has been involved in setting up the vulnerable person’s unit, introducing digital technology to La Moye and launching an electric locking system that has since been deployed in prisons in other jurisdictions.
He said: ‘I wish to thank my dedicated team for their belief and unwavering support during my time in office, which I will not forget. I will most certainly miss their camaraderie and humour.
‘They are true professionals and work hard to keep us safe 24 hours a day, 365
days a year. We should all be very proud of them.’
Of the nine people who applied for the job, one was from Jersey.
