This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/8496658.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| The prisoners causing trouble on Facebook | The prisoners causing trouble on Facebook |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| By Sarah Bell BBC News | By Sarah Bell BBC News |
| Gunn was jailed for 35 years for ordering the murder of an innocent couple | Gunn was jailed for 35 years for ordering the murder of an innocent couple |
| Like many of its 350 million users worldwide, jailed underworld boss Colin Gunn used his Facebook account to let his friends know what was on his mind. | Like many of its 350 million users worldwide, jailed underworld boss Colin Gunn used his Facebook account to let his friends know what was on his mind. |
| Gunn, a big-time Nottingham gangster who ordered the revenge killings of John and Joan Stirland, threatened: "I will be home one day and I can't wait to look into certain people's eyes and see the fear of me being there." | Gunn, a big-time Nottingham gangster who ordered the revenge killings of John and Joan Stirland, threatened: "I will be home one day and I can't wait to look into certain people's eyes and see the fear of me being there." |
| An inquest opened this week to determine whether police corruption contributed to the Stirlands' death. They were gunned down at their bungalow in Lincolnshire in 2004. | |
| Gunn had set up his Facebook profile in November, claiming prison authorities had relaxed their attitude towards him after he had served part of his sentence in Whitemoor jail, Cambridgeshire, the Sunday Times reported at the weekend. | Gunn had set up his Facebook profile in November, claiming prison authorities had relaxed their attitude towards him after he had served part of his sentence in Whitemoor jail, Cambridgeshire, the Sunday Times reported at the weekend. |
| The Ministry of Justice says prisoners are banned from using social networking sites, and his page was closed by Facebook for violating its policies. | The Ministry of Justice says prisoners are banned from using social networking sites, and his page was closed by Facebook for violating its policies. |
| But Gunn is the latest in a line of convicted criminals who have used social networking sites to abuse victims and boast about life in prison. | But Gunn is the latest in a line of convicted criminals who have used social networking sites to abuse victims and boast about life in prison. |
| Taunting victims | Taunting victims |
| Last month, Jade Braithwaite, jailed for knifing to death Ben Kinsella, 16, used the site to taunt his victim's family. | Last month, Jade Braithwaite, jailed for knifing to death Ben Kinsella, 16, used the site to taunt his victim's family. |
| The 20-year-old boasted he was "down but not out" and wanted a remote control so he could "mute or delete people when I need to". | The 20-year-old boasted he was "down but not out" and wanted a remote control so he could "mute or delete people when I need to". |
| Manchester gangster Domenyk Noonan, also known as Lattlay-Fottfoy, 45, was believed to have used a smuggled mobile telephone to add photos and comments to his webpage. | Manchester gangster Domenyk Noonan, also known as Lattlay-Fottfoy, 45, was believed to have used a smuggled mobile telephone to add photos and comments to his webpage. |
| And prolific burglar Roy Boodle, 28, taunted detectives on Facebook for 18 months saying that he could not be caught. But he was and was jailed for three-and-a-half years. | And prolific burglar Roy Boodle, 28, taunted detectives on Facebook for 18 months saying that he could not be caught. But he was and was jailed for three-and-a-half years. |
| Earlier this month, relatives of victims of violent crime called for the introduction of electronic anti-social behaviour orders, or "e-Asbos" to stop convicted killers bragging online. | Earlier this month, relatives of victims of violent crime called for the introduction of electronic anti-social behaviour orders, or "e-Asbos" to stop convicted killers bragging online. |
| Braithwaite was jailed for life for killing Ben Kinsella | Braithwaite was jailed for life for killing Ben Kinsella |
| A group including Mr Kinsella's sister, actress Brooke, plus relatives of murdered teenagers Jimmy Mizen and Rob Knox revealed how they had been tormented online. | A group including Mr Kinsella's sister, actress Brooke, plus relatives of murdered teenagers Jimmy Mizen and Rob Knox revealed how they had been tormented online. |
| They have posted their petition on the Downing Street website and attracted 742 signatures. | They have posted their petition on the Downing Street website and attracted 742 signatures. |
| Ben's father George told ITV: "Ben's sisters, younger sisters, look at Facebook regularly and my wife found it very distressing to read some of the comments that were being put on there on virtually a daily basis." | Ben's father George told ITV: "Ben's sisters, younger sisters, look at Facebook regularly and my wife found it very distressing to read some of the comments that were being put on there on virtually a daily basis." |
| The Mizens said they saw a message posted on Twitter which said altar boy Jimmy was a "pathetic loser". | The Mizens said they saw a message posted on Twitter which said altar boy Jimmy was a "pathetic loser". |
| Barry Mizen, whose son Jimmy died when he was attacked in a bakery in Lee, south-east London, said the family were also "bullied" via Facebook. | Barry Mizen, whose son Jimmy died when he was attacked in a bakery in Lee, south-east London, said the family were also "bullied" via Facebook. |
| He told the programme: "We're basically being intimidated, we're being bullied by this site, by the things that were being said. I found it very distressful - our children, my wife etc, all put in complaints directly to Facebook. There is an option on there to do that. And nothing." | He told the programme: "We're basically being intimidated, we're being bullied by this site, by the things that were being said. I found it very distressful - our children, my wife etc, all put in complaints directly to Facebook. There is an option on there to do that. And nothing." |
| Censoring letters | Censoring letters |
| David Wilson, professor of criminology at Birmingham City University, said there has always been concern about prisoners gaining access to the outside world. | David Wilson, professor of criminology at Birmingham City University, said there has always been concern about prisoners gaining access to the outside world. |
| "When I first worked in the prison service in 1984 there was concern about letters. We were still censoring prisoners' letters, someone would go through every single letter with a black felt-tip pen," he said. | "When I first worked in the prison service in 1984 there was concern about letters. We were still censoring prisoners' letters, someone would go through every single letter with a black felt-tip pen," he said. |
| "Then it was giving prisoners access to phones, with anxiety about who they were talking to and what they were saying. Now there's the same issue with mobiles and the internet." | "Then it was giving prisoners access to phones, with anxiety about who they were talking to and what they were saying. Now there's the same issue with mobiles and the internet." |
| He said there should not be a "knee-jerk reaction" to these incidents, as it was important to allow prisoners to communicate. | He said there should not be a "knee-jerk reaction" to these incidents, as it was important to allow prisoners to communicate. |
| Scanner: Now used in every prison in England and Wales | Scanner: Now used in every prison in England and Wales |
| "We get a lot of intelligence about crime from prisoners. The amount gathered through phone calls being monitored is staggering. There's a real benefit from monitoring what they're saying," he said. | "We get a lot of intelligence about crime from prisoners. The amount gathered through phone calls being monitored is staggering. There's a real benefit from monitoring what they're saying," he said. |
| He said there were also social and educational reasons for giving prisoners access to the outside world. | He said there were also social and educational reasons for giving prisoners access to the outside world. |
| "Whether you like it or not, every single prisoner, with the exception of 34 (serving whole life terms), are going to come back into the community and when they come out they should be better trained and educated with more skills. We do this so that by having these skills they are less likely to reoffend." | "Whether you like it or not, every single prisoner, with the exception of 34 (serving whole life terms), are going to come back into the community and when they come out they should be better trained and educated with more skills. We do this so that by having these skills they are less likely to reoffend." |
| So what can be done? It's thought that in all of these cases, prisoners were using mobile phones illicitly smuggled into prisons, which is an issue the prison service has been attempting to tackle for many years. | So what can be done? It's thought that in all of these cases, prisoners were using mobile phones illicitly smuggled into prisons, which is an issue the prison service has been attempting to tackle for many years. |
| According to Ministry of Justice figures, prison officers found 3,910 mobiles and 4,189 sim cards during 2008. In 2006, they came across 2,272 mobile phones. | According to Ministry of Justice figures, prison officers found 3,910 mobiles and 4,189 sim cards during 2008. In 2006, they came across 2,272 mobile phones. |
| Strict rules | Strict rules |
| Every prison in England and Wales is using a special body scanning device to search visitors and inmates for concealed sim cards. | Every prison in England and Wales is using a special body scanning device to search visitors and inmates for concealed sim cards. |
| The Prison Service says it is also testing a system to block the signals of mobile phones it cannot uncover, without disrupting the signals of phones used by ordinary people beyond prison walls. | The Prison Service says it is also testing a system to block the signals of mobile phones it cannot uncover, without disrupting the signals of phones used by ordinary people beyond prison walls. |
| Facebook says it takes the safety of its users very seriously and content which is intimidating, hateful or threatening is not tolerated and is removed. | Facebook says it takes the safety of its users very seriously and content which is intimidating, hateful or threatening is not tolerated and is removed. |
| We will not hesitate to refer to the police any published material that appears to breach the law Jack Straw Justice Secretary | We will not hesitate to refer to the police any published material that appears to breach the law Jack Straw Justice Secretary |
| "If anyone has concerns about the way an individual is using Facebook and believes this poses a threat to others, we strongly encourage them to report this to us for investigation by our dedicated user support team," a spokeswoman said. | "If anyone has concerns about the way an individual is using Facebook and believes this poses a threat to others, we strongly encourage them to report this to us for investigation by our dedicated user support team," a spokeswoman said. |
| The Ministry of Justice said it was "extremely concerned" prisoners were able to update Facebook and other social networking sites either through illicit technology or via outside contacts. | The Ministry of Justice said it was "extremely concerned" prisoners were able to update Facebook and other social networking sites either through illicit technology or via outside contacts. |
| It said serving prisoners do not have access to the internet, except for educational purposes, when access is closely monitored by staff. | It said serving prisoners do not have access to the internet, except for educational purposes, when access is closely monitored by staff. |
| Justice Secretary Jack Straw announced a clampdown on prisoners accessing the sites, following the revelation of Gunn's comments. | Justice Secretary Jack Straw announced a clampdown on prisoners accessing the sites, following the revelation of Gunn's comments. |
| "I am also hoping to meet with Ofcom, Facebook, victims' representatives and other government departments with an interest in this area to identify a solution to what is an issue of considerable concern to myself, victims and their families, and many members of the public. | "I am also hoping to meet with Ofcom, Facebook, victims' representatives and other government departments with an interest in this area to identify a solution to what is an issue of considerable concern to myself, victims and their families, and many members of the public. |
| "We will not hesitate to refer to the police any published material that appears to breach the law." | "We will not hesitate to refer to the police any published material that appears to breach the law." |
| Have you been threatened by someone via a social networking website like Facebook? Do you think prisoners should have access to websites like Facebook and Twitter, for example. If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, we'd like to hear from you. | Have you been threatened by someone via a social networking website like Facebook? Do you think prisoners should have access to websites like Facebook and Twitter, for example. If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, we'd like to hear from you. |
| Please send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Please send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |
| A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location. If you would like to remain anonymous, please say so in your message. | A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location. If you would like to remain anonymous, please say so in your message. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |