PRISON officers at the Verne on Portland have passed a vote of no confidence in governor Denise Hodder saying the prison is ‘run on fear’.

They made a stand after four officers were sacked for sending what staff say were joke emails.

The Prison Officers’ Association is putting forward appeals for them to try to get their jobs back.

Another officer has been barred from promotion for three years and three have received final written warnings – also relating to their use of e-mail.

One officer, who asked not to be named, said the emails sent by the sacked officers included a joke and picture ‘but were not rude’.

He said: “A vote of no confidence was given after a meeting and it’s the opinion of staff in the whole prison.

“It was taken to show that we are unhappy working under her.

“The prison is run on fear and all of the good will and atmosphere seems to have gone from the place.”

When Denise Hodder was governor at Dorchester prison 10 years ago the officers gave her a vote of no confidence and threw a party when she moved on.

Ian Prudames, branch secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association at the Verne, confirmed the four officers were sacked and the vote of no confidence had been given.

He said: “It’s a catalogue of things going on for a long time and she’s sacked four staff.

“There are appeals under way at the moment.”

The officers at the Verne say they have been growing increasingly demoralised at work and when they walked out as part of a national dispute a month ago they cited problems of their own.

Mr Prudames then said: “Morale in this prison is at an all time low.

“All we want is fair treatment.”

The developments come after allegations of ‘fight club’ style contests between prisoners, which were denied.

Alcohol-based hand gels were removed from the jail in September after it was claimed that inmates had become drunk after drinking from the dispensers.

Last week the prison become embroiled in more controversy after it emerged that an inmate had disguised a four feet high cannabis plant as a tomato plant and then decorated it as Christmas tree.

Other allegations included inmates making matchstick models to hide phones inside.

Mr Prudames said: “It’s the safety of security control in the prison which is a concern, with less of us in there. At the moment we’ve not got many staff here and with the cuts we are going to have less.

A Prison Service representative refused to comment on the nature of the sackings.

She said: “Votes of confidence are entirely a matter for the POA. There are no concerns over the present governorship.

“Following internal investigations into inappropriate use of -mail at HMP The Verne, four members of staff have been dismissed, one barred from promotion for three years, and three have received final written warnings.”

Mrs Hodder was unavailable for comment.