Prisoners 'poisoned' by bad egg mayo sandwiches set for £500,000 compensation

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Prisoners made sick after eating dodgy egg mayonnaise sandwiches at Wandsworth Prison are set for massive compensation payouts after justice chiefs admitted responsibility this week.
More than 300 prisoners at Britain's biggest jail - which holds 1,665 - went down with food poisoning in September last year.

Dozens of prison wardens also suffered from suspected salmonella poisoning after eating the canteen sarnies.
Lawyers acting on behalf of the prisoners said that a report by the prison's infection-prevention team had admitted being responsible for the poisoning, meaning inmates can claim between £1,000 and £5,000, depending on how badly they were affected.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz0tymLtkIP

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Interesting, we're back to prisons, a very debated topic. Personally I wouldn't even give the prisoners egg mayo in their sandwiches, they'd get bread and water. But really, do they deserve compensation for becoming ill? I think not, but others will not agree.

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Originally Posted by Hitman

Interesting, we're back to prisons, a very debated topic. Personally I wouldn't even give the prisoners egg mayo in their sandwiches, they'd get bread and water. But really, do they deserve compensation for becoming ill? I think not, but others will not agree.

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Anybody who is poisoned by a professional body is entitled to compensation, it just simply shouldn't happen and I don't really think anybody can doubt that.

I think the issue is the amount of compensation being talked about here, I personally have an issue with the whole concept of compensation, I mean does anybody really deserve between £1000 and £5000 compensation because they fell sick for a few days :S Perhaps a few hundred pounds but those figures are stupid, I believe compensation should be a reasonable amount as an apology and then loss of earnings on top of that.

This is a good example of how prison is a punishment though and how lack of freedom is the biggest punishment prison offers ~ what would we do if this happened to us? Yes we'd probably get the compensation but we wouldn't return to the place that gave us food poisoning, we'd take our custom elsewhere - the prisoners don't have that option.

It's only tax payers money, no biggie :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Oli

Anybody who is poisoned by a professional body is entitled to compensation, it just simply shouldn't happen and I don't really think anybody can doubt that.

I think the issue is the amount of compensation being talked about here, I personally have an issue with the whole concept of compensation, I mean does anybody really deserve between £1000 and £5000 compensation because they fell sick for a few days :S Perhaps a few hundred pounds but those figures are stupid, I believe compensation should be a reasonable amount as an apology and then loss of earnings on top of that.

This is a good example of how prison is a punishment though and how lack of freedom is the biggest punishment prison offers ~ what would we do if this happened to us? Yes we'd probably get the compensation but we wouldn't return to the place that gave us food poisoning, we'd take our custom elsewhere - the prisoners don't have that option.

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The amount is stupid but I personally don't agree that they should get anything. Call me harsh but that's what I think. They're prisoners, not paying customers.

Regarding your last point, there will no doubt be a massive inspection or review into the cause and they'll probably enforce more rules or hire new people or something to ensure it doesn't happen again. I expect this is a one off - this is a small lack of freedom though. I mean, they will still get to eat nice food and I doubt they really care. They can always get their big mac as a treat.

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Originally Posted by Hitman

The amount is stupid but I personally don't agree that they should get anything. Call me harsh but that's what I think. They're prisoners, not paying customers.

Regarding your last point, there will no doubt be a massive inspection or review into the cause and they'll probably enforce more rules or hire new people or something to ensure it doesn't happen again. I expect this is a one off - this is a small lack of freedom though. I mean, they will still get to eat nice food and I doubt they really care. They can always get their big mac as a treat.

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I somewhat doubt prison food is nice, I can't imagine it being much different to hospital food.

I agree, I wouldn't of given them egg mayo sandwiches. If there in prison they should have to live on bread and water. I suppose it's not there fault they got poisoned but they still don't deserve money, they can't really spend it in prison LOL!

set aside the fact they're in prison & they have had egg mayo on their sandwiches, the amount of compensation is way too large lol....... they're in prison for god sake, not a hospital

I agree, they don't deserve any money if i'm honest especially not that amount.

prisoners are in prison to do time, not to get poisoned. but the amount of money awarded probably is a ott.

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Originally Posted by Oli

I somewhat doubt prison food is nice, I can't imagine it being much different to hospital food.

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Ever been in hostpital for a considerable amount of time? I have for a few weeks. The food wasn't that bad, not the best I've eaten but by far not the worst. By nice I meant egg mayo sandwiches and I presume they have chips and the like if they get sandwiches, but I mean compared to eating stale bread. :P

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Originally Posted by x.SamLouise

I agree, I wouldn't of given them egg mayo sandwiches. If there in prison they should have to live on bread and water. I suppose it's not there fault they got poisoned but they still don't deserve money, they can't really spend it in prison LOL!

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I think they can spend money on cigarettes and things like that, and for 'treats' like mcdonalds... :S :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Special

set aside the fact they're in prison & they have had egg mayo on their sandwiches, the amount of compensation is way too large lol....... they're in prison for god sake, not a hospital

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Quite right.

---------- Post added 17-07-2010 at 11:40 PM ----------

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Originally Posted by alexxxxx

prisoners are in prison to do time, not to get poisoned. but the amount of money awarded probably is a ott.

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Of course it wasn't intentional to get poisoned whereas it's intentional they do the time (:P) but I'm glad you agree it's ott. Seems like you have some sense left. ;) :P

So they'll just waste money on rubbish basically, money that could be going to better causes! They don't need that amount of money, fair enough if the amount was lower.

their compensation should be 2 egg mayo sandwiches and a hug

You talk of prisoners getting treats, this tends to be when a prison runs a system called a Token Economy which is actually a rehabilitation programme which rewards prisoners for good behaviours - arguably it doesn't help behaviour too much on the outside but it keeps them behaving in prison.

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Originally Posted by Oli

Anybody who is poisoned by a professional body is entitled to compensation, it just simply shouldn't happen and I don't really think anybody can doubt that.

I think the issue is the amount of compensation being talked about here, I personally have an issue with the whole concept of compensation, I mean does anybody really deserve between £1000 and £5000 compensation because they fell sick for a few days :S Perhaps a few hundred pounds but those figures are stupid, I believe compensation should be a reasonable amount as an apology and then loss of earnings on top of that.

This is a good example of how prison is a punishment though and how lack of freedom is the biggest punishment prison offers ~ what would we do if this happened to us? Yes we'd probably get the compensation but we wouldn't return to the place that gave us food poisoning, we'd take our custom elsewhere - the prisoners don't have that option.

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I completely agree concerning the amount of reparations paid, but prisoners don't have the option to masticate elsewhere because it's a consequence and a right they forfeited after committing the crime which got them sent to prison in the first place.

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Originally Posted by Oli

You talk of prisoners getting treats, this tends to be when a prison runs a system called a Token Economy which is actually a rehabilitation programme which rewards prisoners for good behaviours - arguably it doesn't help behaviour too much on the outside but it keeps them behaving in prison.

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Psychology :D

I don't think they should be rewarded with money, instead maybe a few extra hours outside playing in their play ground or something.

Oh and hospital fool isn't that bad to whoever said it was!

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Originally Posted by flatface

Psychology :D

I don't think they should be rewarded with money, instead maybe a few extra hours outside playing in their play ground or something.

Oh and hospital fool isn't that bad to whoever said it was!

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I didn't mean bad, it's just not exactly the quality of food you could get in your own home - I'd imagine prison food is similar or worse, they need feeding after all :P

They need feeding, but for the sake of murderers and rapists I hope the food they get sucks :)

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Originally Posted by HotelUser

They need feeding, but for the sake of murderers and rapists I hope the food they get sucks :)

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Like it was mentioned before, bread and water should do them!

What do they even need the money for? It's a Category B prison, so I highly doubt they will be released at time soon.

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Originally Posted by Moh

What do they even need the money for? It's a Category B prison, so I highly doubt they will be released at time soon.

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Apparently they get 'treats'

Those of you who are saying "they should just get bread and water" I'd be quiet if I were you before you make yourself look even more silly. "Bread and water" leads to severe malnourishment and then eventually death. The reason they were eating Egg is because it contains a lot of what they need to remain healthy. The role of Prisons is to rehabilitate and where this is not possible to keep them away from the public. Being unhealthy only hinders this process. Sure they shouldn't get £1000 but they should get some. They have been unfairly treated and just like everyone else they should recieve compensation for that.

In short, I agree with Oli ;D

When damages are awarded in tort (as in this instance) they are awarded (broadly speaking) under two categories - special damages and general damages. Special damages refer to monetary loss incurred as a result of the breach of duty, so loss of earnings that are easily calculated etc. Obviously this is not applicable to prisoners and as such they should receive no money under this category.

Next is general damages which refers to damages incurred as a result of "pain, suffering and loss of amenity" caused by the breach. As far as the law is concerned this type of damage has been incurred and therefore the prisoners are welcome to the compensation as would anyone else. The law does not distinguish between who you are, merely the extent of the damage caused. That is how the legal system works and so really you should be criticising fundamental principles of the law of tort rather than anything else.

Btw - hospital food is disgusting.

People here seem to think people only go to Jail for murder and very serious crimes :rolleyes:.