Prisoners at HMP Brixton angered at missing Christmas telly specials due to severe TV shortage
Inmates at the 800-capacity London jail have taken to stealing each other's TVs after lorry delivering new flatscreens couldn't fit through the gate
STIAN ALEXANDER
ANGERED prisoners are complaining of a shortage of TVs in their cells - fearing that they'll miss out on watching Christmas specials.
Lags at HMP Brixton, an 800-capacity jail in south London, claim the prison has been lacking in in-cell TVs for the past year, with many of the TV sets left broken for months on end.
5
Prisoners at HMP Brixton are angry about missing this year's TV specials over the festive periodCredit: Getty Images
With many of the inmates spending up to 18 hours a day locked in their cells, worries have been raised that they will miss out on Christmas telly and have 'nothing else to do' over the festive period.
A recent report from the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) found that the problem had got worse in recent months, with some inmates resorting to stealing TVs from other inmates' cells.
The shortage was compounded further when a delivery of flat-screen TVs - for which prisoners pay £1-a-week to rent - was turned away from the prison gatehouse after the lorry couldn't fit through.
5
Inmates at the 800-capacity jail spend up to 18-hours-a-day locked in cellsCredit: Getty Images
The IMB report states that the lorry had to turn around without delivering the TVs after a shortage of prison officers meant they couldn't even unload the TVs outside the prison.
The report even states that drugs are easier to get in prison than TVs and that sorting out the TVs was a 'key issue' to be addressed by prison chiefs.
The report states: "There has not been enough kit, particularly kettles and televisions, for which prisoners pay.
"As flat screen TVs were being rolled out across the estate, reconditioned older sets were supplied to Brixton. Often they did not work.
5
The inmates have taken to stealing each other's televisions due to the shortageCredit: Getty Images
"A lorry delivering new sets could not get through the gate, and could not be unloaded outside because of a lack of officers for supervision.
"Some men had no television for weeks, and vulnerable prisoners had their working sets stolen."
Amazingly, the IMB report stated that drugs were easier to get than TVs, adding: "Drugs to take the edge off (not having a TV) were unfortunately in better supply."
The report states that it was often vulnerable prisoners who had their TVs pinched, adding that they tended to 'suffer most'.
It states: "Vulnerable prisoners tend to suffer most.
"When there was a shortage of TVs, working sets allocated to such prisoners were repeatedly stolen by other men."
A prison worker, who has been in the job for 10 years, said having an in-cell TV was 'vital' for prisoners, especially over Christmas when more prison wardens took time off - meaning the number of hours prisoners stayed locked in their cells increased.
Speaking today, the worker - who asked not to be named - said: "There is almost always reduced staff levels over Christmas, which means prisoners have to spend even more time in their cells than they already do.
5
One prison officer claimed an in-cell TV was vital for prisonersCredit: Getty Images
"If they don't have a TV in their cell then this is only going to increase frustration and they are obviously unhappy about the situation and are very vocal in complaining."
He added: "Complaints about televisions which don't work or are not available always shoot up around this time of year as prisoners are the same as the rest of us and just want to sit back and relax and watch Christmas specials.
"It's a Godsend for prison officers too as it helps keep prisoners quiet and entertained in their cells, so it's not good news for anybody for prisoners to be without TVs."
Last year the Ministry of Justice spent £8.4m on new flatscreen TVs to be rolled out across the prison estate.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said that prisoners only have access to TVs if they are 'well behaved' and that inmates had to pay £1-a-week for an in-cell telly.
Is it time to get tougher on convicted criminals?
5
BETTER CALL PAUL with Paul Ross today from 9am on 0344 499 1000
Listen on DAB, via the talkRADIO app or online at
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “These TVs cost the taxpayer nothing as money is recouped by charging prisoners £1 a week to rent the sets - last year this generated nearly £2 million.
“These arrangements have been in place for many years. The rules were toughened in 2013 to stop offenders watching TV all day when they should be working.
"Badly behaved prisoners cannot have TVs in their cells.”
5