Few blocks to prisoners calling mates on mobiles

A prison officer says inmates with illicit cellphones are a serious problem and the Department of Corrections has so far failed to install cellphone blocking technology despite pleas from staff.

The department is investigating claims that prison escaper Arthur Taylor sent text messages to a newspaper from his cellphone just before his escape last Tuesday.

Beven Hanlon, president of the Corrections Officers Association, said despite repeated requests no state-run prison had blocking technology installed, although the privately run Auckland Central Remand Prison had it.

"The only thing we have to stop cellphones, other than a search, are cellphone detectors and they are shared around. In the Midlands area there is only one. It was damaged some time ago and I understand it will not be repaired until the next Budget round."

A Corrections Department spokeswoman said some cellphone detection technology was in place, but the staff with information on it were away for Easter.

Corrections would not comment further on claims made in the Sunday Star-Times until tomorrow.

Corrections telephone policy allows each inmate to have 10 numbers they can dial. Numbers of known gang headquarters, drug dealers, criminals, pubs, the TAB, media and MPs are prohibited. Inmates with cellphones can bypass these bans.

Mr Hanlon said Hawkes Bay Prison alone dealt with inmates with cellphones about once a fortnight.

"It is very hard to catch them because of the size of them. They bring them in all the time. Staff find them lying around on the grass outside where the inmates have thrown them over the fence if they don't need them or they don't work any more, so they don't get caught with them." 

Mr Hanlon said the Sunday Star-Times reporter with whom Taylor communicated may also have committed an offence under section 44 of the Penal Institutions Act, which makes it an offence to communicate with any prisoner without authorisation.

Even if the contact was instigated by Taylor and the reporter did not reply, Mr Hanlon said, "It's still concerning that [the reporter] has not told anyone [Taylor] has got a cellphone. I know the media can't give out information about their sources, but it is a fairly serious security breach."

The Sunday Star-Times said Taylor had often outsmarted prison officials and had had several cellphones in the past three months.

Last Tuesday Taylor escaped from guards while on his way to a CYFS meeting. He was helped by an acquaintance armed with a Glock pistol, but was quickly recaptured.