Nearly 2,000 phones confiscated from prisoners

The figures were obtained in a freedom of information request made by the Scottish Conservatives, who said phones given to inmates earlier in the pandemic should now be taken back.

Around 7,600 phones were given to prisoners to replace in-person visiting. While they were meant to be tamper-proof, many were modified to make unauthorised calls.

Since May last year, offenders had phones temporarily taken from them 1,889 times due to misuse.

Whistleblowers said the devices were being used by prisoners to sell drugs and engage in other illegal activity.

Russell Findlay, Scottish Conservative community safety spokesman, said: “This scheme was introduced in good faith at the start of lockdown but it has become a farce.

“These supposedly un-hackable handsets were compromised almost immediately, yet this was kept secret from the public and MSPs.

“It is absolutely right that prisoners should have access to their families, but this ill-conceived scheme has back-fired badly. Keith Brown dithered over our demands to stop drug-soaked prison mail before finally introducing new security measures.

“It is now time for him to recall Humza’s handsets. They must be withdrawn immediately and permanently, and any replacement must be safe and secure.”

A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said: “If we find anybody attempting to tamper with phones whether maliciously or otherwise then we take appropriate action.”