THE governor of Wrexham's prison has been suspended, pending an investigation.

Russ Trent, in charge of HMP Berwyn since it opened its doors 18 months ago in spring 2017, has been suspended from his role the Ministry of Justice has confirmed.

The Prison Service has not made public the reason behind Mr Trent's suspension, but a spokesperson said: “Mr Trent has been suspended in accordance with our standard procedures while an investigation is carried out into allegations made against him.”

Prior to being named the prison's first governor, Mr Trent, an ex-Royal Marine, had been the project director who oversaw its development.

Mr Trent began his own career in the criminal justice system as a prison officer and has worked in prisons from Dorset, to London and the West Midlands before arriving in Wrexham.

In July he gave an exclusive interview to the Leader, in which he discussed the progress of the prison since it opened and ambitions for the future.

He described how his own experience, starting out as a prison officer, had helped shape the way he runs HMP Berwyn.

"I've been working in a number of prisons for nearly two decades", he said.

"I still learn lessons every day about how to make the prison work better.

"The reason I joined the job in 1998 was because I wanted to help people make better lives for themselves and that is still the reason I do the job now.

"I believe to work in a prison you have a fundamental responsibility to enable social reform and social transformation."