Penge Penal Institute, 5 May, 11 am
Mr Jim Black, 57, janitor at the Institute, flogged in front of his colleagues after being found guilty of gross misconduct by a specially summoned tribunal. Mr Black had worked at the Institute for twenty-five years, and had an exemplary record, the tribunal heard; so the outburst in which he referred to SCO Rodwell and DCO Prendergast as ‘silly cows who have become too big for their boots’ was out of character. But it was the unanimous view of the tribunal that such derogatory remarks could not be allowed to go unpunished. Mr Black was sentenced to a 36-stroke caning, the strokes to be administered on his bare bottom, at 30-second intervals, by the colleagues he had offended. SCO Rodwell and DCO Prendergast discharged their duties accordingly. At the insistence of the tribunal, the punishment was witnessed by all ten staff members at the Institute.
Signed: SCO RODWELL