A REMAND centre, which earlier this year found an assistant governor guilty of brutality against a prisoner, is investigating a series of fresh allegations against staff.

Another alleged incident involving several officers is being investigated at Northallerton Remand Centre, after complaints from inmates.

Earlier this year, former assistant governor Bill Hughes was accused of hitting a 17-year-old transferred to Northallerton from Doncaster.

Although the teenager made no complaint and evidence given at the disciplinary hearing indicated that there was no physical sign of an assault, bosses launched an investigation.

Facing dismissal, Mr Hughes, 55, resigned from his £33,000-a-year job. He is now awaiting a date for an industrial tribunal, where he will claim constructive dismissal.

In the wake of the incident, fellow officers revealed that tension was still running high at the remand centre, with several claiming they were unwilling to restrain problem prisoners for fear of facing a similar fate.

Yesterday, it emerged that an inquiry is under way into another series of complaints, made by a different inmate.

Governor Dennis Appleton said: "There is an investigation under way into a number of unsubstantiated allegations against more than one officer.

"Some of them are very detailed and very complex and, if we are to be professional, then we have to go through the lengthy process of investigating them all.

"However, I am very disappointed that someone within the system has seen fit to leak this information at this stage in the establishment's career."

One of the officers who has been implicated in a written complaint is Mick Hare, the branch chairman of the Prison Officers' Association.

Mr Hare acted for Mr Hughes throughout his disciplinary procedure and warned afterwards that colleagues had been left exposed when Mr Hughes was found guilty..

Yesterday, Mr Hare said: "Prison officers have no recourse when faced with this sort of allegation. Inmates can make any claim they wish and there has to be an investigation every time.

"I will now have to suffer the consequences of this complaint and worry about the result, which adds more pressure to an already difficult and demanding job.