Message in cell for prisoners

A large graphic spelling out the message is being stencilled on the walls of all 16 cells in the custody block.

The aim is to encourage suspects being questioned at the station about burglaries and other crimes to admit all their offences to avoid being rearrested at a later date for an old offence.

Inspector Phil Shakesheff, who has come up with idea, said: "Often prisoners arrested for a specific burglary or theft will have committed other similar offences.

"It's very much in their interests to have these other matters taken into consideration at the same time.

"There is every chance they will eventually be linked to these other crimes through forensic evidence and by admitting their involvement at an early stage, the courts will give due credit. Otherwise, the penalties will be much stiffer if they are brought back to court at a later date."

The stencilled graphic sends out a clear message aimed at making prisoners confess to all their crimes. It shows a pair of hands clinging onto the bars of a cell with the words: "Don't get locked up again & again! Clean your slate - ask about having other offences taken into consideration."

Detective Inspector Gavin Kinrade, from the Shrewsbury-based crime and specialist operations department, said it was a simple and stark message which prisoners could hardly miss.

"Appropriate use of TICs offers significant benefits to West Mercia Police and its partner justice agencies, both operationally and in terms of bringing offenders to justice. It also increases victim and public confidence in the criminal justice system," he said.

He added it was also an attractive proposition for offenders with long-term benefits.

"The defendant will receive credit for early admission of guilt when they appear in court and this is reflected in the sentence. They are able to clear the slate to avoid the risk of subsequent prosecutions for those offences.

"To illustrate the point, we had one local offender who was recently arrested who refused to clear his slate.

"He was given a jail sentence by the court and on the day of his subsequent release, was promptly arrested as he left the Dana Prison for offences he could have cleared on the first occasion.

"His freedom was short-lived as the man was charged again later that day and remanded in custody. He then appeared in court and was sentenced to a further six-weeks in custody."

By Russell Roberts