Former Prisoner Sues Over Confiscated Mobile Phone

A former prisoner is suing the UK prison service for compensation after a contraband mobile phone was confiscated and destroyed. The UK forbids prisoners from having mobile phones, and a search following a visit from his girlfriend found a mobile phone in the cell occupied by Mark Coleman. The phone was taken away and destroyed - while Coleman was given prison punishments.

However, in a legal action, Coleman is claiming that the prison authorities were wrong to destroy the phone and should have kept it in storage until he was released. Lawyers are claiming that in destroying the phone, the prison service had unlawfully deprived him of his property.

The Samsung branded phone was used in a police dog training session and chewed up by the dogs.

A previous claim to the Prison Ombudsman was lost when the Ombudsman ruled that while the prison service was wrong in not returning the phone, it would not be appropriate to award compensation as the phone was originally smuggled illegally into the prison.

The hearing continues.

Posted to the site on 29th March 2009