PART 2The Prison Ombudsman For Northern Ireland

Powers of Ombudsman

43Powers of Ombudsman

1

For the purposes of an investigation under this Part the Ombudsman may at any time enter—

a

any prison;

b

any other premises occupied by the Department for the purposes of its functions under the Prison Act (Northern Ireland) 1953.

2

The Ombudsman may at any time enter any juvenile justice centre for the purposes of an investigation under section 39.

3

The Ombudsman may, for the purposes of an investigation under this Part, require—

a

that documents be produced in a form in which they can be taken away or be made available for inspection and copying,

b

that an explanation be given of any document produced or made available, or

c

that other information be provided.

4

A person who intentionally obstructs the Ombudsman in the carrying out of an investigation under this Part commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

5

In this section—

a

“document” includes anything in which information is stored in electronic or any other form; and,

b

in relation to anything containing information in electronic form, references to production or making available are to production or making available in a form in which the information is readily intelligible.