Letters to prisoners in Liverpool are being photocopied and the originals withheld to prevent paper soaked in potentially lethal drugs like 'spice' getting to inmates.
So-called 'psychoactive substances' (PS), synthetic drugs that can mimic cocaine, cannabis and heroin, have caused enormous problems inside the UKs jails. Violence linked to drug-debts, addiction and fatal reactions are all regular issues grappled with by prison governors.
In HMP Liverpool the issues caused by PS were highlighted in a recent Fatal Incident Report on the death of 50-year-old Anthony Peloe, from Speke, who was found dead in his cell midway through a trial for robbery. He was found unresponsive on the morning of January 27 last year, and prison staff discovered a "modified vape" and burnt foil near his body.
