The phone has been picked up by the scanner

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The "game changing" X-ray body scanner helps prevent gangs from operating in Lincoln Prison.

Since June 2020, the scanner has been launched in closed male prisons across the UK and can pick up any drugs, mobile phones or other items that are not allowed to enter the prison walls.

Louth and Horncastle’s Prison Minister and Member of Parliament Victoria Atkins visited the prison to see these machines.

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She said: "This is an important part of our fight against organized criminal groups operating in prisons and the wider community.

"Our staff and officials in the prison have done a great job, but these X-rays can help them ensure that people do not bring in drugs, mobile phones and other things that would disrupt the stability of the prison walls.

"This is important because our prison holds some of the most dangerous people in the country. They are here to protect the public, so we need them to be safe and secure.

"This means preventing criminals from operating their prison empire outside the prison walls."

Paul Yates has been governor of HMP Lincoln for five years, but his career spanned a total of 27 years.

He referred to this machine as a "game-changer" and added: "This is one of the most fundamental game-changing equipment we have.

"The goal of government investment is very clear, aimed at preventing human trafficking from entering prisons. Trafficking in humans makes the conditions of prisoners and our staff less safe.

"Any prisoner who is scanned positive will not enter the main population of the prison. They will be scanned every day.

"We will report every case of human trafficking to the police. I want to make it very clear that if you try to smuggle drugs to HMP Lincoln, don't because we will catch you."

Since receiving the scanner in July 2020, HMP Lincoln has scanned prisoners 1,720 times and found objects more than 100 times.

In January of this year, 17 contraband scans were positive, but in October this number had dropped to zero.

Ms. Atkins added: “The governor is obviously concerned about the ball here. He has the support of a strong team of police officers, but like any prison in the country, Lincoln will have to deal with criminal gangs trying to enter its walls. Be absolutely vigilant.

"We all know across the country that through the 74 X-ray scanners we installed in every closed male prison in the country, thousands of items that shouldn't have been in the prison were picked up.

"Crime gangs always try to bypass the system, so this is an ongoing battle, but I believe that our £100 million investment in prison security means we will win."

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