Britain’s most dangerous prisoners allowed budgies, parrots and CHICKENS in cells
BRITAIN’S most dangerous prisoners are being allowed to keep their own jailbirds in cells.
Inmates at Category A jails — which hold terrorists, murderers and rapists — can buy budgies, small parrots and even chickens as a reward for good behaviour.
Most inmates who have bought birds are serving life, with the pets allowed for therapeutic reasons at governors’ discretion.
In an echo of Burt Lancaster’s 1962 movie Birdman Of Alcatraz, prisoners are responsible for the care of their feathered friends, which are allowed to live with them in their cells.
But the birds, which are sold to inmates for about £5 each, are removed if inmates neglect their responsibilities.
Freedom of Information enquiries showed that inmates in three Category A prisons were allowed to keep budgies and cockatiels in their cells last year.
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Three prisoners at HMP Wakefield, West Yorks, and two at HMP Frankland, Co Durham, were allowed to have them.
HMP Full Sutton, East Yorks, said there were three budgies, five chickens and two cockatiels kept by prisoners.
The chickens were probably kept outside cells.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “This has been found to improve offenders’ behaviour.”
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