The Scottish Government is to make it a criminal offence to possess a mobile phone while in prison, or to supply a phone to a prisoner, in an attempt to stop criminals from conducting their illegal business from within their cells.
Soon, though, ownership of a contraband mobile may become moot - the regional government is instructing prisons to install jamming devices to block all mobile phone signals on prison grounds.
“The Scottish Government is determined to get tough with those who try to continue criminal activities while in prison,” said Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, ” Serving a prison sentence should not allow the Mr Bigs to continue their life of crime.”
A revision of sex crime laws in Scotland could mean stiff penalties for scottish texters who send unwanted sexual content via SMS or email.
In the recently published Sexual Offences Bill, sending sexual language or imagery in a text or email could carry a sentence of up to 10 years if the court finds that the content was designed to give the sender sexual gratification or todistress or humiliate the recipient.
The bill also bans the sending of images of people (or ‘imaginary people’ - e.g. CGI or cartoons) engaging in sexual activity, if the intent is to offend or humiliate.
Speaking to The Scotsman, The Scottish Law Commission’s Colin Tyre said that the new legislation addressed “a growing problem.”
