UK's most dangerous criminals given pets in high security prisons - including a tortoise

Lags in Britain’s highest security prisons have been given budgies and tortoises as pets, the Sunday Mirror has learned.

The Ministry of Justice confirmed three high security prisons allow inmates to have pets as a reward for good behaviour.

They include a prisoner in Category A Strangeways - now known as HMP Manchester - who has a tortoise.

And one prisoner in each of HMP Full Sutton and HMP Wakefield - both also in the maximum security category, home to only the most dangerous criminals - have a budgerigar.

“Birds and other pets are provided under an incentive scheme which allows prison Governors to incentivise good behaviour and prevent violence against staff,” a Ministry of Justice spokesman said.

“Pets are not allowed in every prison establishment, and this would be a local decision made by Governors in accordance with this incentives policy framework.”

Robert Maudsley, known infamously as Hannibal the Cannibal and the UK's longest-serving prisoner, once asked to be allowed a budgie in his custom-built underground solitary cell.

“Why can’t I have a budgie instead of the spiders and cockroaches I already have in here?” the quadruple-murderer wrote to prison governors at HMP Wakefield.

“I promise to look after it and not eat it.”

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But it’s unlikely the budgie living with a prisoner in Wakefield belongs to Maudsley - as he was moved to HMP Whitemoor this March.

HMPs Belmarsh, Frankland, Whitemoor, Woodhill and Long Lartin - the remaining five Category A prisons in Britain - do not allow inmates to own animals of any kind.

Previous reports of lags being allowed to keep budgies in cells have been from lower security prisons.

Current guidance says Governors can consider allowing well-behaved prisoners to have “one bird and one birdcage” in their cell if the prison rules allow for it.

It says nothing about tortoises.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Prison pets are only allowed in specific situations and where approved by the Governor.”