Ian Brownhill has now left PAS to continue his career in prison law and criminal defence work at a leading set of criminal defence barristers in London.

Ian has been the Locum Women Prisoners' Caseworker for the last fifteen months, the first man to hold this unique role. Deborah Russo will return to the position from maternity leave as of mid-September.

"PAS has been a completely unique experience", says Ian. "I have worked in a corporate law firm, a public defender office in the United States and a number of other environments, but none compare to PAS. There is truly a great sense of team work, co-operation and commitment to aiding prisoners who need legal advice and assistance. I am proud to have started my career at PAS."   

Ian has successfully managed a number of high profile cases while at PAS. Indeed, iIn his last week in the role, he was instructed to represent a mother with a new-born child from whom she had been separated while breastfeeding. The prison in which she was held refused to act with due haste in considering her for emergency temporary admission to a Mother and Baby Unit.

Ian and his colleagues therefore acted within hours of her entering custody. When the prison continued to drag their feet, Ian and Dr Nick Armstrong of Matrix Chambers secured an interim order from the High Court. The mother and her child have now been reunited as a result of their work and the support of the rest of the PAS legal team. "Securing the place for a breast feeding child on a MBU has ended my time at PAS on a high. It was a glowing example of what PAS are here to do."      

PAS retain Ian's contact details for other solicitors and advice workers who may wish to contact him for advice. He is particularly interested in carrying on his work with female prisoners, and in taking actions against the Probation Service.