Last updated at 16:43, Thursday, 22 November 2012

A PRISON has been rocked by further revelations of an inmate using a mobile phone from his cell.

Title
Author
Copyright

Description

Nicky Appleton, an inmate in HMP Haverigg, has had his Facebook account deleted after the Evening Mail discovered him using a mobile phone to update the account.

Appleton is the latest inmate to be caught using a mobile phone while serving time in HMP Haverigg, bringing the total number of convicts caught by the Evening Mail using the social media site to 10.

An investigation carried out by the Evening Mail last month revealed seven prisoners posting pictures to Facebook, while earlier this year two other prisoners were discovered using the site. Appleton, 25, whose posts complained of the cold as well as counting down the days to his sentence, has now been banned from the site, in line with Ministry of Justice guidelines, and could face having extra time added to his sentence.

Correspondence circulated around staff by prison governor, Steve Valentine, tells staff that prisoners face up to an additional two years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine if they are found in breach of rules banning them from accessing mobile phones while inside.

Earlier this year an investigation was launched after two staff members allowed a prisoner to keep a mobile phone after discovering him with a phone inside his cell.

The Evening Mail understands allegations have also been made that Barrow man Lee O’Connell, who is currently serving jail time in Haverigg, has been using a mobile phone to send messages from his prison cell to people living in the town.

The Evening Mail has repeatedly requested an interview with Mr Valentine but the Ministry of Justice refused the request.The MoJ, which runs the prison, issued the following statement: “Prisoners have no access to the internet and are barred from updating Facebook while serving their sentence, or asking others to do so from outside prison. If they do, their accounts will be terminated.

“HMP Haverigg is working closely with Cumbria police to catch those who attempt to bring prohibited items into the prison, including mobile phones. Security measures at the prison have been tightened and anyone caught with a mobile phone will be disciplined and faces being moved to a higher security prison.”

First published at 16:21, Thursday, 22 November 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk