Prison bosses spent £21million putting TVs and phones in cells over three years

PRISONS spent £21million putting flatscreen TVs and phones in cells over the past three years, figures show.

The Ministry of Justice approved the purchase of 93,000 TVs for £8million and 18,000 phones costing £13million.

Jail bosses say inmates rent the ­tellies with their own money and are only allowed them to encourage good behaviour.

The Krystel flat screen TVs are made bespoke for the prison service.

They come in transparent plastic casing making it almost impossible for inmates to hide contraband inside the set.

Prison bosses say inmates are only allowed television sets as part of an incentive programme to encourage good behaviour.

Tellies are taken away if lags step out of line.

They also say that inmates rent the sets from the prison service with their own money which goes to pay for the televisions as well as their upkeep.

Officials bought around 30,000 television sets for in-cell entertainment each year over the last three years at a cost of about £90 each.

Around 18,000 sleek in-cell phones were installed in a contract with BT over the same period.