Visiting a Client in Prison

Visiting a Client in Prison

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 A client is in prison for a fraud unconnected to his business as a plumber, and I thought I would add to my education by visiting him to finalise his 2010 Tax Return. I checked the Prison website and arranged to make an "Official Visit" which are held at another time from Social visits (knowing my client is only allowed three a month of those, it seemed appropriate). It is true that the girl I spoke to said she was new at the job, but as requested I followed up with an email stating my full details and saying; "I confirm our telephone conversation just now. I need to visit XXX to get him to sign his Tax Return and have agreed with you to visit next Thursday 16 October from 9.45 - 10.45". When I arrived I was on the visiting list but was met with immediate hostility.

I am pretty peeved to have travelled 40 miles, to be kept waiting an hour only to be turned away, to have been treated with a degree of disrespect, when I was up-front and they could have emailed me. They actually seemed pretty lax - they did not seem to know other attendees and I wonder, if I had said I was a solicitor's clerk, whether they would have admitted me? Such a person only had to show his passport. Emphasis was laid on the fraud conviction, with the insulting implication that as an Accountant I might be helping him with his crime! It was stated that Legal visits are only permitted in connection with a Defence.

A man who said he was a Police Officer spoke to me and wrote some notes on the back of an envelope. The official line seems to be that a Prisoner is not entitled to conduct his business from inside jail, but there seems a hypocrisy here - I am allowed to contact my client by letter and even now by email (emailaprisoner.com) - and they suggested I should have come on a social visit! My folly would appear to be to  have attempted an Official Visit (the term used on their website, no definition) - which they called a Legal Visit

I see that David Winch has posted here before and perhaps he can advise? Prisoners "Yuman Rights" entitle them to be called "Mr" these days, so do they not have a right to taxation advice? I should dearly love to quote some rules back at these people to show that they were in the wrong today

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By andypartridge
15th Dec 2010 16:56

I am no expert, but . .

You say that your purpose for visiting was to 'add to your education'. Maybe they rumbled you.

We both know that except in extraordinary circumstances would it be absolutely necessary to have a face to face to complete a plumber's tax return. Being turned away hardly deprives your client of tax advice when, as you say, e-mail correspondence is permitted.

Alternatively, maybe it was a social comment on the degree of contempt the profession is held in these days. 

-- Kind regards Andy

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Image is of a pin up style woman in a red dress with some of her skirt caught in the filing cabinet. She looks surprised.
By Monsoon
15th Dec 2010 17:14

Prison visits

If you go on a social visit, the chance of you being able to take in any paperwork is NIL. The only way you can take documents in is via an official visit. You can't even take tissues in on a social visit.

Prisoners on remand (i.e. unconvicted but not granted bail) are allowed to put their business etc affairs in order. I am not sure if the same is extended to convicted prisoners but I believe it is not.

Can you not post his tax return to him for signing? I've posted a form into a prisoner before now, and it came back signed, though admittedly he was on remand at the time.

Don't waste your energy being peeved, my experience is that the staff treat you with disdain whatever relationship you are to the prisoner.

There is an anecdote of a prisoner who was conducting his business by the swapping of 'legal paperwork' with his lawyer. It was weeks before one of the guards recognised the 'lawyer' and realised it was the prisoners ex-cell mate!! Says it all really!

 

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By cymraeg_draig
15th Dec 2010 18:37

Complain

You should write to the govenor of the prison making a formal complaint about the unacceptable atitude of the prison officers. On a couple of occasions I have encountered rude prison officers - neither are still working for the service and neither have a pension to look forward to.  I have zero tolerance for such behaviour.

Be prepared for a white-wash letter back from the govenor (who will behave like your average tax officer), and the instant you receive his meaningless reply escalate the matter to -

The Home OfficeThe client's MP.

They do not have to let you see the prisoner (unless he is still on remand when the rules are rather different), but, there is no excuse whatsoever for them misleading you or being rude to you.

Unfortunately, the prison service does have its share of officers with what i call "car park attendant syndrom" (give them a peaked cap and they go power mad).

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By GarethHughesFCCA
15th Dec 2010 20:00

.
I've just taken on a client in same situation. I have done everything by post. Trouble is he has nobody on the outside to collate the info!

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By Trevor Scott
16th Dec 2010 09:36

Try

pointing out that the tax return is not a business duty, it is a personal legal duty under s8 bla bla bla, which is made all the more difficult, necessary and important by the complication of evidently been convicted for fraud. Also ask for the name of the official denying him his rights and under what legal basis are they doing so. 

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By spurs1952
17th Dec 2010 11:40

Two Way Stretch

 Ah could it be that the chocolate cake you took in should not have contained that file (the iron one!). Ask not for whom the bell tolls etc.

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