A WOMAN prisoner who alleged sexual discrimination in the only mixed prison in Northern Ireland has won her battle for equality.
Anna Corry (49), from Derry, who is serving a life sentence at Maghaberry Prison, near Lisburn, has been told she will now get the same facilities as the long term male prisoners.
It means that women like her will be issued with internal keys which will enable them to move about their landings 24 hours a day. They will also be given 24 hour access to a telephone - at present they are limited to five hours.
Other privileges to be extended to women prisoners include access to sports areas, easier availability of computers and more extensive educational programmes.
The decision was revealed in a letter to Corry's solicitors, Madden and Finucane, who had applied for a judicial review in the High Court.
Her solicitor, Ms Angela Ritchie, said the letter from the Prison Service indicated that the new arrangements, which involved building work, would "very substantially" provide the facilities being sought. It was expected that the improved facilities would be in force by March.
"I am pleased that the need to proceed with an application for judicial review would appear to be no longer necessary," said Ms Ritchie.
She said male prisoners qualified for the improved facilities after serving 11 years - Corry had now served 14 years. "So it still leaves open the question of compensation for any sexual discrimination my client has already suffered."