Further measures to block prisoner phone use proposed

Further plans to stop prisoners conducting criminal activity while incarcerated will be outlined by Justice Secretary Michael Matheson to a Holyrood committee tomorrow.

The Telecommunications Restrictions Orders (Custodial Institutions) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 will further strengthen action against the use of mobile phones including:

• use of network technology to block active phones within prisons;
• permitting court orders to remove certain phones from the network entirely.

Mr Matheson will give evidence to the Justice Committee on the regulations. Ahead of the session he said: “The unauthorised use of mobile phones in prisons potentially presents a serious threat to both the security of prisons and the wider public.

“The Scottish Government has already made changes to the law to create offences for the possession and introduction of mobile phones or their component parts to prisons and to allow interference with networks within two prisons to disrupt phone use. These regulations will further support our commitment to reducing the harm caused by illegal activity within our prisons.

“The irresponsible and illegal use of phones also causes offence to victims of crime and we are taking steps to reduce their use.”