Inappropriate Hiding Place for Cellphone Puts Prisoner in Hospital
A UK prisoner was admitted to hospital recently after he hid a mobile phone inside his body and was unable to expel it later. According to the tabloid newspaper, The Sun - Martin Mahoney, a convicted burglar had hidden the mobile phone inside his anus to hide it during a routine prison search. He had spent days trying to get it out, but was eventually forced to confess to guards.
He had to have over 200 internal stitches and the doctors had to remove part of his bladder. He is still recovering in hospital. This is a common way to hide mobile phones during inspections as phones are banned inside prisons. Doubtless news of what happened may dissuade prisoners from this activity in future.
A source told the newspaper "Cons are calling him Phoney Mahoney. Sounds funny but he could have died."
A Prison Service spokeswoman said "There are rigorous search systems in place for prisoners and any visitors in order to prevent mobile phones entering prisons."
"Unfortunately, however, there are occasional breaches in security. It is now well established that prisoners can and do secrete mobile phones in body cavities."
Posted to the site on 18th June 2007
