I gained a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in the History of Art from Manchester University in 1984.

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1 THE ZAHID MUBAREK INQUIRY Inquiry Chairman: The Honourable Mr Justice Keith WITNESS STATEMENT Hilary Jane Thompson Greater Manchester Probation Area I am currently working as a Probation Officer for the Greater Manchester Probation Area of the National Probation Service on a full time basis. I am currently based at Salford Probation Office and I prepare Pre-Sentence Reports for Salford Magistrates court and for the Crown Courts in Manchester. I gained a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in the History of Art from Manchester University in Relevant Employment History 1.1. In began working for the Youth Service in South Ribble as a Clerical Assistant. This was part-time employment. I stayed there for 4 years and left there in May, 1990 to join the Probation Service in Lancashire as a Probation Service Assistant. Whilst! was working in Lancashire, I undertook three different jobs: Assisting on a Mediation and Reparation Project at Chorley office Bail Information Officer at Preston Magistrates court Probation Assistant in the day centre at Blackburn doing group work on 4a and 4b conditions In 1993, I left there to train as a Probation officer at Manchester University. I completed the Diploma in Social Work course there In June, began working in the Children and Families Social Work Team at Tyldesley Town Hall. This was part of Wigan Social Services. My Page 1 of 5

2 role involved child protection, including seeking emergency protection orders, case conferences and supervising longer term child protection cases In July began work as a Probation Officer for Greater Manchester Probation Service and was employed at the Wigan Office. I later moved to the Atherton Office when the Wigan Office closed down. At both Wigan and Atherton Offices, I worked on Community Supervision Teams and also carrying out group work programmes From there, I went to work at Hindley prison on November 30 th, I left the prison in January, 2002 and moved to Salford Probation Office where I am currently employed. Whilst! was in the prison, I had the responsibility of completing sentence plans, parole reports, reports for release on temporary licence and home detention curfew reports. I also attended sentence planning boards and 20/52 SH reviews. I organised and ran the Alcohol Awareness course and also ran groups on the Anti-Social Behaviour Unit, including the positive thinking skills course I have never received any training with regard to people suffering from mental disorder. 2. Dealings with Mr Stewart and significant events I do not remember having any dealings with Mr Stewart. When I reviewed his sentence plan I had been working in the prison for 10 days(ib 792). I must have interviewed him at this point, but I have no memory of our conversation. The interview would have taken about 5 or 10 minutes and would have simply involved me checking whether he had completed any of his sentence planning targets as identified by Mrs Joyce O'Mara I do not recall any significant events involving Mr Stewart. 3. Recollection of Attitudes and Behaviour 3.1. As I have no recollection of my interview with Mr Stewart, I am unable to comment on his attitudes or behaviour. However, being so new to the prison when I interviewed him, I am sure that I would have sought advice from the Page 2 of

3 qenior Probation Officer or my colleagues if I had felt that there were any issues with regard to his mental health or racist attitudes. Reporting on a convicted person who was already serving or might serve a custodial sentence 4.1. Risk Assessments were carried out at Hindley prison by Probation staff as part of the sentence planning process, Home Detention Curfew Assessments, parole reports and reports for release on temporary licence. The assessments were carried out by considering the details of the current offence, previous convictions, pre-sentence reports and by interviewing the inmate. The outside Probation Officer would also be contacted by telephone fhe risk of harm that an inmate presented would be assessed with regard to the risk whilst they were in prison and also on release. There was not a specific risk management form to be completed whilst they were in prison, such as the RM 1 form completed by the home probation officer When I started to work at Hindley, the Probation team was fully staffed. All of the wingsat the prison had a probation officer based there. I was based on A wing whilst I was at Hindley. This did give the opportunity to build relationships with the inmates on the wing. They would also come to the Probation office on the wing with any problems that they had. I do not think that Mr Stewart was ever resident on A wing at the time I was at the prison, l 4.4. There were never any "case conferences" held specifically to discuss the risk that an inmate may present. This would be done, however, by boards that were convened to discuss sentence planning, release on temporary licence and release on home detention curfew. Probation staff would always attend these boards. As far as I remember, the risk that an inmate may present within the prison was not formally discussed unless he were to attend a group. Exchange of Information about Inmates 5.1. Information about inmates was usually exchanged with outside Probation Officers via the telephone. However, sentence planning meetings were held Page 3 of

4 on DCR prisoners to which the outside officer was invited to attend. Information could be exchanged at these meetings. 6. Changes in working practices I am unable to comment on the changes in working practices in the prison as I have not worked at Hindley for nearly two years. information to add to my statement. I have no further 7. Form ACR The review of the sentence plan that I completed on December 10th, 1998 (IB 792) would have been based on Mrs O'Mara's initial sentence plan. I would have considered the targets that she had set for Mr Stewart before finding out whether these had been completed. My task was to review the targets set by the Probation Service and not by any of the other agencies in the prison. I would not, therefore, have looked at the assessments carried out by Mr Stewart's employer in the prison, the Healthcare centre, Security etc. 8. Question 5 to Mrs O'Mara 8.1. I was not aware of the discharge report from Lancaster Farms (IB ) when I reviewed Mr Stewart's sentence plan. If I had been aware of the report it would have changed my recommendation on his sentence plan review. I would have discussed his case with my senior probation officer and with Mr Stewart's wing probation officer. I do not think that I would have been able to recommend him for any group work programme because of the risk that he presented to other inmates My contact with Mr Stewart was relatively superficial. I do not think that I was alerted to the fact that he may need a psychiatric assessment or treatment by the contact I had with him. 9. ACR assessment and plan after conviction. r Page 4 of

5 9.1. There should have been a further sentence planning assessment carried out on Mr Stewart if he had received another sentence for different offences. I am unable, however, to comment on why this did not happen. This statement is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.... (Signature) HILARY JANE THOMPSON... (Date) Page 5 of 5