WHO WE ARE

The Independent Custody Visiting Association (“ICVA”) is a Home Office, Policing Authority and Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) funded membership organisation set up to lead, support and represent PCC and Policing Authority led schemes. Local volunteers make unannounced visits to police custody to check on the rights, entitlements, wellbeing and dignity of detainees held in police custody, reporting to PCCs and Policing Authorities who hold Chief Constables to account.

WE WORK CLOSELY WITH GOVERNMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ORGANISATIONS TO

  • Promote and support the effective provision of independent custody visiting in police forces in the United Kingdom
  • To support independent custody visitors across England and Wales in contributing, wherever possible and appropriate, initiatives to improve conditions in police custody.
  • Ensure alignment between the local delivery of independent custody visiting and the UK’s obligations under relevant international treaties, including the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) and European Human Rights legislation.
  • We are members of the UK National Preventive Mechanism (UKNPM) as required by the Optional Protocol against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) – an international human rights treaty designed to strengthen the protection of people deprived of their liberty.

Vision

ICVA's vision is that detainees are treated fairly, with dignity, and free from ill treatment.

Mission

Leads, supports and represents Independent Custody Visiting schemes to be effective, ensure the welfare of detainees and to deliver oversight of police custody.

Values

  • INDEPENDENCE – Without bias, impartial.
  • HUMAN RIGHTS – Promotes and protects.
  • RESPECT – Championing equality and diversity, dignity.
  • IMPACT – Committed to real change.
  • PARTNERSHIP – Working collaboratively to prevent ill treatment.

Meet the team

The Board comprises a majority of member directors, who represent the independent custody visiting schemes in their area, and external directors who attend the Board in their own right, bringing specialist skills to the organisation.

Dame Anne has an incredible career throughout the Criminal Justice System, most recently as the first non-executive National Chair of the Independent Monitoring Board. Dame Anne’s previous roles include Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales, Chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (now the IOPC) Director of JUSTICE, non-Executive Director of the Criminal Cases Review Commission and much more.

Dame Anne Owers

Chair

Vice Chair of ICVA and Head of Engagement at the Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC). Her team focuses on engagement, policy development & commissioning, including responsibility for MOPAC's Independent Custody Visiting Scheme and community engagement strategy. Natasha has a track record of working in partnership with voluntary, statutory and private sector organisations.

Natasha Plummer

Vice Chair

Katie is the Compliance Officer for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Bedfordshire, and her role includes being the ICV Scheme Manager. Katie started her employment with the OPCC in November 2015, after nearly 9 years working in a Detention Centre, from being an officer to the Governance Manager.

Katie Beaumont

Director

Standards and Scrutiny Manager for the Police and Crime Commissioner in Cleveland, Elise manages the Cleveland Custody Visiting Scheme and is a member of the ICVA National Expert Forum. Before joining the OPCC in 2016 Elise spent 17 years working in a local authority in various roles including Performance and Information Manager and 8 years spent in scrutiny, holding the local authority and latterly the Health Service to account. Elise’s main passion outside of work is travelling with her family.

Elise Pout

Director

Rachael is the Independent Custody Visitor Manager and Police Authority Compliance Lead at the City of London Corporation (CoL).  Rachael is responsible for the Independent Custody Visiting Scheme and is a member of the ICVA National Expert Forum. She also leads on custody matters and police complaints on behalf of the Police Authority at the City of London.  Rachael has previously spent time volunteering as a Constituency Caseworker and Samaritans Volunteer; and enjoys travel, sports and dance outside work.

Rachael Waldron

Director

Since 2017 Erika’s managed Surrey ICV scheme on behalf of the PCC.  Building upon her previous experience as a Special Constable, Erika jumped at the opportunity to move from a private sector strategy career into the criminal justice world after a career break following the birth of her young children.

Erika Dallinger

Director

Emily is the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside and the Deputy Lead for Mental Health and Custody for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners. Emily is committed to encouraging new and innovative initiatives to ensure custody processes are streamlined and as effective as possible and standards upheld. She has made delivering a fair and effective Criminal Justice system one of her policing priorities. Prior to being elected as Police Commissioner, Emily was a Councillor in Liverpool City Council for nine years, leading on Community Safety.

Emily Spurrell

Director

Kirsty has over 20 years' experience within the policing environment, she leads the Scottish Police Authority's (SPA) Independent Custody Visiting Scheme in Scotland (ICVS), upholding the Authority's statutory obligation under Chapter 16 of the Police and Fire Reform Act 2012. Currently she has responsibility for monitoring 79 custody centres throughout Scotland to preserve and promote human rights.

Kirsty Scott

Director

Rosanna has several years experience working on criminal justice policy and human rights. She is currently the Senior Policy and Parliamentary Officer at the charity INQUEST, which works with bereaved families in their campaign for accountability following state-related deaths. Rosanna previously worked for the UK’s National Preventative Mechanism, helping to coordinate detention monitoring bodies to carry out their international human rights obligations.

Rosanna Elull

Director

Niamh Byrne, Head of Communications & Engagement at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner in Avon and Somerset. Niamh has been in her role since July 2019, focusing particularly on improving engagement and consultation with under-represented communities and those adversely affected by disproportionality in policing and the criminal justice system.

Niamh Byrne

Director

Moawia is an Investment Director and brings considerable public experience to the role. He is a former ICV and Chair of ICV’s in South Wales. He holds several Public Appointments, Non-Executive Director and Advisory roles with the MOJ, Judiciary, City Police, Welsh Government, Hafod Housing, St John Ambulance, Coleg Gwent, Common Purpose and UN. He is also a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Educators and the Spectacle Makers. He received the Freedom of the City of London in 2021.

Moawia Bin-Sufyan

Director

John retired as an accountant after forty-six years back in 2014.  He is a qualified member of Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. He has been Honorary Treasurer to the Association for two years now.  His role is to provide strategic financial advice to Chief Executive and members of the Board. This involves oversight of budget preparation, monitoring reports and final accounts. In May 2018 he was appointed Lay Member - Audit & Assurance for the Coastal West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group.

John Eagles

Honorary Treasurer

Sherry has a history of working in the criminal justice sector, from working in prisons, delivering contracts for prison leavers and gang affected young people, to varying roles in housing allocations policy and contract management for a domestic violence service. Follow Sherry on Twitter @custodyvisiting

Sherry Ralph

Chief Executive Officer

Jenna is currently studying an LLM in International Human Rights Law at the University of York alongside her position at ICVA. Her passion for the justiciable treatment of detainees was initially ignited during her first MA where she researched the social and psychological reasons behind what motivates abuse in investigative processes.

Jenna Walop

Member Engagement and Training Manager

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