The Government has set out plans to clamp down on brutal prison videos being uploaded onto social media by fame hungry crooks.
Currently, it is not an offense for someone outside of prison to upload content sent to them from behind bars but a private member’s bill could be about to change the law.
The bill is being sponsored through the Commons by Conservative MP Katherine Fletcher. It proposes strengthening Section 40D of the Prison Act 1952 by closing this legal loophole, with the intention of safeguarding victims and ensuring prison security.
The Prison Media Bill, which would criminalise the posting of video, photographs and audio recordings taken while in prison, regardless of whether the uploader is in custody, will now receive government backing after passing its Second Reading on Friday.
It would also outlaw unauthorised filming of staff, as well as content captured by drones, with those found guilty liable to prosecution and an unlimited fine.
In another video, a prisoner is shown with blood pouring out of his face after being viciously attacked by a gang of other inmates, who repeatedly punched him in the face. The Prison Media Bill would criminalise the posting of video, photographs and audio recordings taken while in prison, regardless of whether the uploader is in custody
One inmate is dragged out of his bed by another prisoner before being violently attacked (left). The man is left cowering on the floor as his attacker kicks and punches him in the head (right)
Harmful videos and pictures being uploaded from prisons onto social media has become an increasing problem in recent years. Over 890 pieces of harmful prison content being posted last year.
In July 2023, MailOnline revealed some of the shocking footage being uploaded onto social media from prison. In one clip, a man is viciously yanked from his bed before being brutalised by a fellow inmate, who punches and kicks him in the head while other lags egg him on.
As well as the savage jailhouse attacks, inmates also shamelessly film themselves taking drugs and messing around – with one proudly declaring ‘HMP TV official’ before smoking the so-called ‘zombie drug’ spice, a synthetic form of cannabis, in his cell.
The Bill’s supporters hope the new legislation will compel social media companies to act more quickly to remove illegal content. Prison content has often remained on social media platforms if it could not be proven that it had been uploaded from inside a prison’s walls.
Edward Argar, minister for prisons, parole and probation, said: ‘Tackling harmful content filmed behind bars is critical to our plan to protect the public and ensure the safety and security of our prisons.
‘There is no place for such footage on the internet, and our priority is safeguarding the welfare of victims and our hardworking staff.
‘Those who upload this illegal content will no longer have anywhere to hide.’
Ms Fletcher, who is the MP for South Ribble in Lancashire, said: ‘The public and particularly victims of crime must have confidence that images of those convicted of offences are not shown to the outside world to be commented on or celebrated.
One video appears to show the moment an inmate smokes so-called zombie drug ‘spice’ – a form of potent synthetic narcotic artificially created to try and mimic the effects of cannabis
Katherine Fletcher, the Conservative MP for South Ribble. Ms Fletcher has sponsored a private member’s bill that would make it an offence to post content from inside prison online, regardless of whether the uploader is in or out of prison. The bill will now receive Government backing after passing its Second Reading on Friday
Edward Argar (pictured), minister for prisons, parole and probation, said: ‘Tackling harmful content filmed behind bars is critical to our plan to protect the public and ensure the safety and security of our prisons’
Jack Woodley (pictured) was fatally stabbed in October 2021. The Commons previously heard that one of the murderers of the 18-year-old had ‘made a TikTok video in which he raps about his sentence, implying that it is not serious’
‘Importantly, the Bill will also force social media platforms to remove such content as their use would then be for illegal or unlawful purposes and against their terms of service.’
The Commons previously heard that one of the murderers of 18-year-old Jack Woodley had ‘made a TikTok video in which he raps about his sentence, implying that it is not serious’.
Mr Woodley was fatally stabbed in October 2021 after being ‘surrounded and isolated’ by a group of youths in Houghton le Spring, Sunderland.
In the Commons last month, Paul Howell, the Conservative MP for Sedgefield, said the video had added to Mr Woodley’s mother’s distress and urged ministers to prevent prisoners sharing videos which could harm their victims’ families.
Mr Howell told MPs: ‘These problems have been horrifically exemplified by the case of my constituent Zoey McGill and her son Jack Woodley, who was tragically stabbed to death in 2021.
‘These past few years have been incredibly challenging for Zoey.
‘Although her son’s murderers were jailed for between eight and 17 years, one can imagine her horror when she discovered that one of them had made a TikTok video in which he raps about his sentence, implying that it is not serious, and he boasts of having a phone while wearing a designer t-shirt.’
The Bill will now proceed to the committee stage in the Commons.
It follows a £100 million investment in prison security, which has seen airport-style scanners installed to better prevent illegal mobile phones being smuggled by prisoners internally and new airspace restrictions making it illegal to fly a drone within 400m of a prison.
