Isle of Man Prison Governor Alison Gomme has completed the appointment of a new senior management team.

Paul Skillicorn and Colin Ring are formally promoted to Deputy Governor rank, sharing duties with Trevor Hussey. Mr Ring takes responsibility for operations, security and compliance while Mr Skillicorn is head of residential services. Mr Hussey has responsibility for regimes and resettlement.

The team is completed with the appointment of Michelle Mitchell as Head of Business Operations, who started work at the prison this month. Mrs Mitchell is a full member of the Chartered Management Institute and has 25 years’ experience in the finance sector on the Island.

Mrs Gomme commented ‘Concluding the appointments of the senior management team is an opportunity for us to push forward and gives people clear lines of responsibility and accountability, especially in terms of the investment in and development of staff.’

The promotion to Deputy Governor makes Paul Skillicorn the first Manx-born prison officer to achieve Governor rank in the history of the prison service on the Isle of Man.

He joined the service in May 1990 and was appointed senior officer in charge of courts in 1996 before being promoted to Principal Officer in 1997. He was temporarily appointed Deputy Governor as part of a team of three charged with overseeing and delivery of the new prison at Jurby.

Towards the end of the project in June 2007, he was put in charge of the co-ordinating and commissioning of the building prior to the transfer of prisoners in August 2008.

He becomes Deputy Governor with responsibility for residential services, ensuring prisoners’ welfare needs are met in compliance with international standards.

Colin Ring joined the UK prison service in 1974, initially training at HMP Walton and going on to Stoke Heath young offenders’ institute.

He then spent 12 years with the Isle of Man Prison Service from 1978-1986, before transferring to the UK service again from 1986 to 2004 rising to become Acting Governor at HMP Leeds, prior to returning to the Island to take up the post of Principal Officer at Victoria Road, Douglas.

Mr Ring was temporarily appointed Deputy Governor from 2004 then Acting Governor from February 2008, until the appointment of Mrs Gomme.

Appointments to the senior management team have all been accomplished within the existing budget and personnel numbers.