A prisoner who had one day left on his jail term at HMP Thameside has been jailed for a further three years after being caught with a makeshift weapon.
Steven Bangs, 37, had improvised a knife by inserting a nail through the casing of a pen whilst in his cell at the Greenwich prison.
He was at the end of an eight-month term for possession of an offensive weapon at the time, but after being caught with the 'dangerous' item in December, he has been given a further three-year sentence.
Bangs admitted possession of an offensive weapon and was jailed at Woolwich Crown Court on February 4.
He was identified and caught by a joint operation between the Met and the prison service aimed at reducing violence in prison.
Trish Mitchell, Serco Prison Director at HMP Thameside, said: “We are working closely with the Metropolitan Police to prevent criminal activity in the prison and we are pleased at the result of this case.
“We have a zero tolerance approach to weapons of any kind in the prison and we will always take appropriate action when we find any.”
Detective Constable Alex Furniss, from the Metropolitan Police Prison Intelligence Unit, added: "Bangs had just one day left in prison when he was found with a dangerous weapon in his cell.
"He must now face the consequences of his actions and spend further time behind bars."
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