Got stuck by a concealed needle during a cell search?
You knew whose cell it was. And tomorrow, you had to go back on the wing.
Can a Prison Officer Claim for a Needlestick Injury?
Yes. Prison officers in England and Wales can claim compensation for needlestick injuries sustained during cell searches, pat-down searches, or the searching of prisoner property. HMPPS has a legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the PPE at Work Regulations 1992 to provide needle-resistant gloves for all search tasks. Psychological trauma is compensatable even where all test results return negative. Here is what your specific situation means for your claim.
💰 Compensation: £2,000–£8,000+ (Judicial College Guidelines) | ⏱ Timeline: 2–6 months | ✅ No Win No Fee
Key Facts: Prison Officer Needlestick Injury Claims
Prison officers can claim for needlestick injuries during cell searches, rub-down searches, and prisoner property handling — even where the needle belonged to a prisoner they know and work with daily.
HMPPS must provide gloves rated to ASTM F2878 (hypodermic needle puncture resistance) for all search tasks. Standard latex gloves provide zero protection against needle penetration.
Hepatitis C is approximately 9 times more prevalent in UK prisons than in the general community — approximately 6% vs 0.7% (UK Health Security Agency, 2023) — making the 6-month testing wait especially acute.
Officers at private prisons (G4S, Serco, Sodexo, MTC) can claim against their private employer. The same Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 duties apply as they do to HMPPS.
Psychological injury is compensatable even where all test results return negative. Compensation for psychological trauma alone typically ranges from £2,000 to £8,000 depending on severity and duration.
You have three years from the date of injury to start a claim under the Limitation Act 1980. If you only recently understood the significance of the injury, the clock may not have started when you think.
We act nationwide: Based in Whaley Bridge on the edge of the Peak District, we handle needlestick injury claims across England and Wales. Everything is handled remotely by phone, video call, or email — you never need to travel anywhere. If you’ve been seriously injured and prefer to meet face-to-face, we can arrange a home visit. Call 0800 652 0586 to discuss your claim from wherever you are.
You Have Better Odds of Winning AND Higher Compensation. Here’s Why.
Most firms put your prison officer needlestick claim in front of a paralegal or a junior solicitor. We don’t. When you contact Carter & Carter, you speak directly to Chris Carter or David Healey — both senior solicitors, neither of whom will hand your case to someone less qualified at the first opportunity.
Chris qualified in 1993. David in 2005. Between them, 50+ years of personal injury work. Prison officer needlestick cases involve employer liability assessments, PPE compliance evidence, psychological injury arguments, and often a delayed-reporting complication that other firms don’t know how to handle. These are not straightforward claims. They need experience.
No junior solicitors. No paralegals making the important decisions. No handoffs. See exactly what that means for your outcome.
The Face Behind the Needle
Think about a refuse collector who finds a discarded needle in a bin bag. A nurse stuck during a procedure — for whom the source can often be identified and tested within hours, as we explain in our guide to NHS needlestick injury claims. A police officer during a stop-and-search. None of them know whose needle it is. The fear is real. But the source is anonymous.
You don’t have that.
You know whose cell you were searching. You know his name. You probably know his history. You know — or strongly suspect — whether he uses. And the next morning, you had to go back on the wing. Not transfer. Not avoid him. Back. Supervisor role. Same wing. Same prisoner. Same searches. Because the job doesn’t pause for what happened to you.
Known face. Unknown blood status. That is not the same as not knowing. In some ways, it is worse.
The prison service culture won’t make it easier. You’ll carry on, because that’s what you do. You’ll say very little, if anything. You’ll do the next cell search and the one after that. But carrying on is not the same as being okay — and the law doesn’t require you to be okay before you can claim. If you’re reading this weeks or months after it happened, that’s exactly the pattern we see. It doesn’t disqualify you. It’s what the job does.
Why HMPPS — Not You — Is Responsible for Your Needlestick Injury
In England and Wales, HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has a clear legal duty to protect prison officers from foreseeable sharps injuries during search tasks. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, any employer must take reasonable steps to eliminate or control risks that can be identified in advance — and concealed needles during cell searches are exactly that kind of risk. HMPPS knew. The risk is documented and quantified. The obligation to act existed before you walked into that cell.
Three pieces of legislation create HMPPS’s specific obligation. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) require assessment and control of biological hazards including blood-borne viruses transmitted via sharps injuries. The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 require the provision of suitable PPE where risk cannot be fully eliminated. In a prison search context, suitable PPE means hypodermic-needle-resistant gloves rated to ASTM F2878. Not standard latex. Not nitrile. ASTM F2878-rated puncture-resistant gloves. Standard gloves offer no measurable protection against a needle under pressure. If you were handed standard gloves for cell searches, HMPPS failed that obligation. That is the primary liability hook.
HMPPS’s own data records 20,295 drug finds from searches in the 12 months to March 2021. Every one of those finds is a potential needle-exposure event. That data represents institutional knowledge of the risk. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require adequate risk assessments for every foreseeable hazard — and HMPPS’s own numbers make it impossible to argue the risk was unforeseeable.
If you’re asking yourself whether this was somehow your fault — whether you searched too quickly, missed something, or made an error — the law doesn’t see it that way. When an employer knows a foreseeable risk exists and fails to provide the correct equipment, liability rests with them. Not with the person doing the job. You were doing your job with the equipment you were given. The question isn’t whether you made a mistake. The question is whether HMPPS provided what the law required it to provide.
What this means practically: if you were issued the wrong gloves, if no risk assessment covered sharps exposure during searches, or if you received no training on needle awareness for search tasks, you have a strong basis for a claim — regardless of whether the needle was infected, and regardless of whether you reported it at the time.
Key point: HMPPS published data records 20,295 drug finds from prison searches in a single 12-month period. That is documented institutional knowledge of the sharps risk — and an employer who knows the risk exists cannot credibly argue they had no duty to provide the correct PPE for the officers carrying out those searches.
Why Prison Officer Needlestick Claims Are Different — And Why That Matters for You
A prison officer needlestick injury claim is not the same as a needlestick claim from any other profession in England and Wales. The combination of factors at play — a known prisoner, a documented drug history, unavoidable daily contact during the six-month testing period, and a professional culture that treats silence as the correct response — creates a claim profile that requires specific legal understanding. Generic needlestick advice will not serve you. And no other law firm has written specifically for this audience.
Every other firm either ignores prison officers entirely or lists them alongside police officers and security guards as a bullet point. Nobody names the ASTM F2878 standard. Nobody tells private prison officers — the people working for G4S, Serco, Sodexo, or MTC — who their actual employer is for the purposes of a claim. And nobody has identified what makes the psychological burden here categorically different: that you know the face, that you know the history, and that you’ll be standing six feet from that person every working day for the next six months while you wait for results.
Three things make the prison officer scenario legally distinct. First, the PPE failure is more concrete here than in most other needlestick contexts — the ASTM F2878 standard is specific, the obligation is specific, and the failure is straightforward to document. Second, the psychological injury head of damage can be argued with reference to the known-prisoner dynamic: occupational health research confirms that compounded trauma from ongoing contact with the identified source increases the severity and duration of psychiatric injury, and this is a compensatable harm in its own right. Third, if you work for a private operator, the identity of the correct defendant matters — and most people don’t know it.
If you didn’t report it at the time, that doesn’t end your claim. Prison culture makes silence the default. That context can be presented. You have three years from the date of the injury to start a claim — and the clock may not start until the date you understood the injury’s significance.
The Risk Is Not Anonymous
Prison officers know whose needle stuck them. The known face, documented drug history, and unavoidable daily contact during the 6-month testing period create a specific psychological burden found in no other workplace needlestick scenario.
The PPE Obligation Is Specific
Most solicitors apply generic duty arguments. The prison officer liability hook is precise: ASTM F2878-rated needle-resistant gloves. Standard latex was never adequate. That specificity makes the PPE failure straightforward to document and argue.
Negative Results Don’t End the Claim
Physical infection is not required. Psychological injury during the testing period — compounded by daily contact with the known source — is compensatable under English personal injury law even where all results are negative.
Common Scenarios: When Prison Officers Are at Risk
Needlestick injuries happen to prison officers in specific, predictable situations. Every one of the scenarios below is a foreseeable risk that HMPPS is legally required to plan for and protect against. If you were injured in one of these situations, the starting question is not whether you have a claim — it is whether HMPPS or your private operator met their obligations before you walked in.
| Scenario | How the injury occurs | Typical PPE failure |
|---|---|---|
| Cell search (intelligence-led) | Officer reaches into mattresses, behind wall panels, under fixtures — concealed needle not visible before contact | No ASTM F2878-rated gloves issued |
| Rub-down / pat-down search | Officer’s hands run along prisoner’s clothing — needle concealed in waistband, pocket, sock, or underwear | Standard latex/nitrile only — no puncture resistance |
| Prisoner property / intake searches | Searching bags, boxes, personal effects on reception or transfer. Needle concealed in clothing, books, food packaging | No risk assessment for this specific task |
| Cell clearance / turnover | Clearing a vacated cell after a prisoner moves or is released. Sharps left embedded in mattress, furniture, or cell fabric | Rushed clearance, insufficient PPE provided |
Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR), HMPPS is required to report any needlestick injury involving blood-borne virus risk to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). If your employer did not make a RIDDOR report, that failure is itself relevant to your claim.
Who Is Liable — HMPPS or Your Private Operator?
The liable employer depends entirely on who employed you at the time of the injury. The duty of care is identical under UK law. The defendant changes — but the strength of your claim does not.
🏛 Public Sector — HMPPS
Employer: HM Prison and Probation Service, an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice
Claim against: HMPPS’s employer liability insurer
Legal basis: Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, PPE at Work Regulations 1992, COSHH 2002
🏢 Private Sector — G4S, Serco, Sodexo, MTC
Employer: Your private prison operator (G4S, Serco, Sodexo, or MTC)
Claim against: The private operator’s employer liability insurer — not HMPPS
Legal basis: Identical — Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 applies to all employers in England and Wales
In both cases, the claim is made against the employer’s insurance — not against colleagues, wing management, or the governor directly. UK employment law — specifically the Employment Rights Act 1996 — prohibits any detriment against an employee for exercising their right to make a personal injury claim.
What Your Prison Officer Needlestick Claim Could Be Worth — And Why a Negative Test Does Not Mean a Zero Claim
Prison officer needlestick injury compensation in England and Wales is assessed under the Judicial College Guidelines and covers several separate heads of damage — not just the physical injury. Compensation typically ranges from £2,000 to £8,000+ depending on severity, but it is the combination of what you have suffered that determines the final figure. No infection is required.
What affects value: the physical injury (the puncture and any immediate treatment); the psychological impact (anxiety, insomnia, hypervigilance, PTSD during and after the 6-month testing period — compounded in prison officers by daily contact with the known source); PEP side effects (nausea, fatigue, diarrhoea, impact on work and home life — a separate compensatable head under Post-Exposure Prophylaxis treatment); and loss of earnings if you took time off or were placed on light duties.
The aggravating factor specific to this claim: the known-prisoner dynamic. Occupational medicine research (Green & Griffiths, 2013, Occupational Medicine) confirms psychiatric illness lasts approximately 1.78 months longer per month of waiting for seronegative results — a finding we examine in depth in our guide to the psychological impact of a needlestick injury. Daily return to the same wing — and the same prisoner — amplifies this further. That compounding is legally relevant. It is reflected in compensation.
For a full breakdown of compensation amounts by head of damage, see our guide to prison officer needlestick injury compensation amounts.
Carter & Carter operates on a no win no fee basis. If your claim succeeds, our fee is 10% of your compensation where settled without court proceedings — one of the lowest rates in personal injury law. See exactly how our fees work.
Evidence for Your Prison Officer Needlestick Claim — You Probably Have More Than You Think
Prison officer needlestick claims do not require you to have kept a file. The most important evidence often sits with your employer — and we know how to request it. Here is what matters most, in order.
🔴 CRITICAL EVIDENCE — Secure this first
The incident report (or evidence one should exist). If you reported the injury at the time, the RIDDOR report and internal incident form are primary evidence of what happened, when, and where. If you did not report — which is common in prison settings — we can establish that the incident occurred through occupational health records and PEP prescription records. The absence of a report is explainable.
PPE records — what gloves were you issued? Your employer holds records of what equipment was provided for search tasks. A procurement or issue record showing standard latex gloves rather than ASTM F2878-rated needle-resistant gloves is the clearest single piece of liability evidence on this type of claim.
🟡 STRONG EVIDENCE — Gather what you can
Medical and occupational health records. GP records, occupational health referral notes, and any PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) prescription records confirm the injury occurred, the treatment given, and the infection risk assessed. Blood test dates establish the testing period duration.
Witness accounts. Was another officer present during the search? Did a colleague see you injured or accompany you to the medical room? A colleague’s account — even an informal one — is supportive evidence.
🟢 BONUS EVIDENCE — Helpful if you have it
Photos of the gloves you were issued for cell searches. Any emails or messages to a line manager or union rep about PPE. A note of the date, cell number, and prisoner involved — even written down now from memory, dated clearly.
What we handle: We request your employer’s PPE records, RIDDOR reports, and risk assessment documents directly. You do not need to gather these yourself. We have helped clients who came to us with nothing except a GP record and a clear account of what happened.
Imperfect evidence does not prevent a claim. It does mean that acting sooner gives us more to work with — incident reports are retained for a limited period, and PPE procurement records can be harder to obtain as time passes.
⚠️ Before you do anything else — three mistakes that damage prison officer needlestick claims.
First: thinking negative results end your claim. They don’t. The injury — and the psychological harm — occurred during the wait. Closing the file when results come back is the single most common mistake on these claims.
Second: assuming delayed reporting kills the claim. Prison culture means many officers report nothing and tell nobody. That context is presentable. You have three years. The clock may not have started when you think it did.
Third: undervaluing the psychological injury head. The physical puncture is often minor. The six months of anxiety — compounded by daily contact with the source — is not. A claim that accounts for both is worth considerably more than one that ignores the psychological damage.
Don’t accept too little. Don’t wait too long.
Should You Claim? Here Is When It Is Clear.
You were carrying out a search task — cell search, rub-down, or prisoner property handling — when the injury occurred.
You were not provided with ASTM F2878-rated needle-resistant gloves — only standard latex or nitrile.
You experienced anxiety, sleep disruption, or distress during the blood testing period — even if all results were negative.
The injury occurred within the last three years — or you only recently understood its full significance.
If two or more of these apply — you have a basis for a claim.
There is no financial risk. Carter & Carter operates on a no win no fee basis under the Limitation Act 1980 — you have three years from the injury date to start. The risk of not claiming is leaving compensation you are entitled to on the table. The risk of calling us is zero.
What You Should Do Right Now
Make a formal record
If you have not already done so, report the injury in writing to your line manager today. Request that a RIDDOR report is made to the HSE. Even late reports are valid. Your written account of what happened — cell number, date, task, gloves issued — is valuable evidence.
Preserve your evidence
Note the type of gloves you were issued for search tasks. If possible, photograph them. Keep any messages to a line manager or union rep. Write down the prisoner’s cell, the date, and what you were doing — even from memory, dated today.
Request your medical records
Contact your occupational health department and your GP. Request copies of any records related to the needlestick — PEP prescription, blood test dates and results, any referrals for anxiety or psychological support. These records are yours.
Call David or Chris directly
You will speak to a senior solicitor — not a call handler. David Healey at Carter & Carter Solicitors handles prison officer needlestick claims personally. The first conversation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation. We will tell you straight whether you have a claim worth pursuing.
You can also read what other clients say about the process: needlestick injury compensation reviews.
You have read enough to know whether this applies to you. Most prison officers who reach this point already know. They just needed someone to confirm that what they went through was serious — and that the law recognises it. If you want to see how needlestick claims work across all worker types, our full needlestick injury claims guide is available.
Below, we have answered the most common questions prison officers ask at this stage. If yours is not there, call us directly on 0800 652 0586 — David or Chris will give you a straight answer.
No jargon. No pressure. No obligation.
People Also Ask About Prison Officer Needlestick Claims
Can a prison officer claim compensation for a needlestick injury during a cell search?
Yes. Prison officers in England and Wales can claim compensation for needlestick injuries sustained during cell searches, pat-down searches, or prisoner property handling. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, HMPPS must provide needle-resistant gloves rated to the ASTM F2878 standard. Psychological trauma is compensatable even where all test results return negative.
What compensation can a prison officer claim for a needlestick injury?
Prison officer needlestick injury compensation in England and Wales typically ranges from £2,000 to £8,000+ under the Judicial College Guidelines. The final figure depends on the severity of psychological trauma, PEP side effects, any loss of earnings, and the duration of the testing period. Physical infection is not required for a claim to succeed.
Do prison officers at private prisons like G4S or Serco have the same right to claim?
Yes. Officers employed by private prison operators — including G4S, Serco, Sodexo, and MTC — are entitled to claim under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The employer duty of care is identical to that of HMPPS. The claim is made against the private operator’s employer liability insurer, not against HMPPS.
Frequently Asked Questions — Prison Officer Needlestick Injury Claims
My needlestick tests came back negative — can I still claim for the anxiety?
Yes. Negative test results do not end your claim. Under English personal injury law, psychological trauma from the 6-month testing period is a compensatable injury in its own right. For prison officers, this is compounded by having to return to the same wing and potentially supervise the same prisoner throughout the wait. Published occupational medicine research confirms psychiatric illness following needlestick exposure lasts significantly longer where daily contact with the identified source continues. Compensation for psychological injury alone typically ranges from £2,000 to £8,000. Call us on 0800 652 0586 to discuss your specific situation.
I didn’t report my needlestick injury at the time — does that stop me claiming?
Not necessarily. Delayed reporting is very common among prison officers — the culture within HMPPS and private prison environments creates significant pressure to carry on without reporting. If you did not report because of that culture, or because you were uncertain whether you needed to, that context can be presented as part of your claim. You have three years from the date of the injury to start proceedings under the Limitation Act 1980 — and the clock may not have started when you think it did. We have handled many claims where the initial report was delayed or never made.
Will making a needlestick injury claim affect my prison service career?
No. UK employment law — specifically the Employment Rights Act 1996 — protects workers who exercise their right to make a personal injury claim. HMPPS and private prison operators cannot lawfully dismiss you, demote you, or treat you detrimentally because you have made a claim. Compensation is paid by the employer’s liability insurer — not by the prison service directly — and claims of this kind are a routine part of employer liability insurance. Your claim is confidential between you and us.
Do I need to know whether the prisoner had Hepatitis C or HIV to make a claim?
No. The prisoner’s blood status — whether known or unknown — is not a requirement for a successful claim. The legal question is whether HMPPS or your private operator met their duty to protect you, not whether infection actually occurred. In fact, not knowing the source’s status is itself a primary cause of the psychological harm during the testing period. Your claim does not depend on the prisoner’s Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or HIV status being confirmed. Call 0800 652 0586 for a straight answer on your situation.
What PPE is HMPPS required to provide for cell searches involving needle risk?
Under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, HMPPS must provide gloves specifically rated for hypodermic needle puncture resistance. The applicable standard is ASTM F2878 (Standard Test Method for Hypodermic Needle Puncture Resistance). Standard latex and standard nitrile gloves do not meet this standard and provide no meaningful protection against needle penetration under pressure. If you were issued standard gloves for cell searches — and not ASTM F2878-rated search gloves — your employer failed their PPE obligation. That failure alone is sufficient to establish negligence.
How long do I have to make a prison officer needlestick injury claim?
You have three years from the date of the needlestick injury to start a compensation claim in England and Wales under the Limitation Act 1980. If you did not immediately understand the significance of the injury — for example, if you only later realised the infection risk involved — the three years may run from the date you gained that knowledge. Acting sooner gives us more evidence to work with. Call 0800 652 0586 as soon as possible.
Do I have to come to your office in Derbyshire?
No. We’re based in Whaley Bridge on the edge of the Peak District, but we handle needlestick injury claims across all of England and Wales. Everything is handled remotely by phone, video call, or email — you never need to travel anywhere. If you’ve been seriously injured and prefer to meet face-to-face, we can arrange a home visit. Call 0800 652 0586 to discuss your claim from wherever you are.
How much will it cost me to make a prison officer needlestick injury claim?
Nothing upfront, and nothing at all if your claim does not succeed. Carter & Carter operates on a no win no fee basis. If your claim succeeds, our fee is 10% of your compensation where settled without court proceedings — one of the lowest rates in personal injury law. There are no hidden charges and no surprises. See exactly how our fees work and why clients choose us.
Still have questions about your prison officer needlestick claim?
Get straight answers from David or Chris — senior solicitors who handle prison officer needlestick claims personally. No call handlers. No obligation. Free first conversation.
Why This Type of Claim Needs the Right Solicitor
We Understand What This Claim Actually Involves
Prison officer needlestick claims sit at the intersection of workplace PPE law, psychological injury assessment, and employer negligence — the same foundations as every needlestick and workplace injury claim we handle. Chris and David have 50+ years of combined experience arguing PPE failures, psychological damage, and delayed-reporting complications. The prison officer context is specific. The legal toolkit is exactly what we already use.
Your Solicitor — Not a Call Centre
When you contact us, you speak directly to David Healey (Senior Solicitor, qualified 2005, 20+ years’ experience) or Chris Carter (Senior Solicitor, qualified 1993, 30+ years’). Your prison officer needlestick claim will be handled personally by a senior solicitor from first call to final settlement. No handoffs.
Three Specialised Practice Areas
We specialise in workplace injuries, occupiers’ liability, and allergy claims. Needlestick injury claims — including those for NHS workers, care home staff, police officers, and prison officers — are a core part of what we do across England and Wales. Not a sideline.
Clear, Fair Fees — Told Upfront
No Win No Fee. Our success fee is 10% where settled without court proceedings — one of the lowest rates in personal injury. No hidden charges. No surprises. Everything confirmed in writing before we start. See why clients choose us ›
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Related Guides
Needlestick Injury Claims
Our main needlestick injury claims hub — every scenario, every profession, every question answered across England and Wales.
Claim Without Infection
What you can claim when all test results are negative — psychological injury, PEP side effects, and the 6-month testing period explained.
What Our Clients Say
247+ five-star Google reviews. Read what real clients say about Chris Carter and David Healey — from the first call to final settlement.
Why Carter & Carter Gets Better Results
How a specialist personal injury firm with 50+ years of combined experience approaches workplace and needlestick injury claims differently.
Or return to our main needlestick injury claims hub.
Useful Resources
The following official sources provide further information on the regulations and guidance referenced on this page.
- Health and Safety Executive — Blood-Borne Viruses — HSE guidance on employer obligations for managing blood-borne virus and sharps injury risk in the workplace.
- HM Prison and Probation Service — GOV.UK — Official HMPPS information including drug find statistics and operational health and safety responsibilities.
- UK Health Security Agency — GOV.UK — Source of blood-borne virus prevalence data in custodial settings, including Hepatitis C surveillance in UK prisons.
- RIDDOR — Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences — HSE guidance on employer reporting obligations for needlestick and sharps injuries.
Injured in a Different Workplace Situation? We Can Still Help.
Not every needlestick injury fits neatly into a single scenario. If your situation involves a different task, a different setting, or circumstances you’re not sure about — tell us what happened. Chris and David have handled needlestick and sharps injury claims across dozens of workplace contexts. If there’s a claim to be made, we’ll tell you straight.
WRITTEN BY
David Healey
Senior Solicitor — Carter & Carter Solicitors
David Healey qualified as a solicitor in 2005 and has spent over 20 years handling workplace injury and personal injury claims across England and Wales. He handles prison officer needlestick injury claims personally — from the first call through to final settlement — including claims involving delayed reporting, psychological-only damage where all test results were negative, and claims against private prison operators including G4S, Serco, Sodexo, and MTC.
If you have questions about your specific situation, David can be contacted directly.
“Initially unsure about pursuing a claim, Carter and Carter through their vast experience and approach gave me their confidence to do so. Five star highly efficient, totally connected and courteous. Months later I received the cheque for a most satisfactory settlement figure.
Tim Glenn ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐