THE Prison Service has suspended one officer for gross misconduct and is considering disciplinary action against others following an investigation into overnight security arrangements at Maghaberry jail, it emerged today.

Several officers could be suspended and charged following a two month investigation by the Prisoner Ombudsman and the Prison Service into the death of an inmate in a cell.

It’s understood that the disciplinary action was taken after video camera footage was examined by a team probing the death of Belfast man Colin Martin Bell (34) who was found dead in a cell at the prison in August.

The father of two — who the Prison Service said had a history of self-harming — had been allocated an observation cell at Maghaberry and placed on suicide watch.

But despite the special arrangements Bell was found dead just after 1am on Friday, August 1, and an inquiry was launched by the Office of the Prisoner Ombudsman.

An investigation being held into the circumstances of Bell’s death is understood to have uncovered a series of irregularities surrounding the actions of night patrol staff.

The failures were not detected at the time because parts of the prison could not be monitored because repairs hadn’t been carried out to the CCTV system covering parts of the prison following damage to electrical equipment in a storm last winter.

But when the DVD recordings of the night patrol duty were viewed it’s understood that irregular and improper activities were detected by the investigation team.

A spokesman for the Prison Service confirmed that it had been carrying out a review of night guard arrangements following management concerns and the preliminary findings from a Prisoner Ombudsman probe into a death in custody. They said: “The Prison Service recently announced the initiation of an internal investigation into existing night guard arrangements at Maghaberry Prison following management concerns and preliminary findings from the Prisoner Ombudsman’s investigation into a death in custody in prison on August 1, 2008.

“One member of staff was initially charged with gross misconduct and suspended from duty. Further disciplinary action may follow and the Prison Service will issue a further statement in the near future,” the spokesman said.

On Tuesday night, it’s understood that a number of officers were told the outcome of the investigation.

One officer at the jail said a frantic effort was then made by the Prison Service to engage regular staff to remain at the jail and undertake an overtime shift to cover for the suspended officers.

“It was hectic, the management was phoning around after seven to see if men would stay on,” the officer said.

Bell was serving a life sentence for the murder of Michael O’Hare in a flat in Bangor in 2003.

Mr Justice Weir sentenced him to life imprisonment the following year setting a minimum tariff of nine years.

The court was told that Bell had set fire to the Dufferin Avenue flat in February 2003 after a two-day alcohol and drugs binge with a group of people. He broke into a downstairs flat in the house and when Michael O’Hare returned home they moved to a flat on the middle floor which the deceased occupied.

The court was told that after consuming a large quantity of alcohol and ecstasy tablets Bell returned to the downstairs flat and set fire to it in an effort to conceal the burglary. O’Hare who was asleep in the flat above died in the blaze.

Bell was being held at Lagan House in Maghaberry which has a special unit for at-risk prisoners.

He had previously been taken to hospital from the prison for treatment after swallowing razor blades.