EXCLUSIVE

Most teens have their TVs and games consoles confiscated when they are being punished - but not in Medway's youth prisons.

More than £160,000 has been spent on entertaining inmates at HMP Rochester and Cookham Wood young offenders' institute in two years.

The taxpayers' cash has been spent on luxuries such as video games, DVD players and board games, figures obtained by the Messenger show.

The revelation comes just days after a court heard 32 youths went on a rampage at Cookham Wood, in Borstal, after a TV ban.

Six inmates were sentenced after about £10,000 of damage was caused in the six-hour riot, sparked by the governor cutting down their viewing time.

More than £50,260 was spent on entertainment at Cookham Wood - which has inmates aged 15 to 18 - in the two years to last April.

The money was used to buy televisions for common rooms, Play Station 2 consoles and games, table tennis equipment, board games, DVD players and DVDs.

At HMP Rochester, in Fort Road, which houses inmates aged 18 to 21, £113,320 has been spent during the same period.

This has been used to buy pool and table tennis tables, which inmates are allowed to used at evenings and weekends. It has also paid for video rentals and newspapers.

As much as £95,000 of the money has been spent on buying state-of-the-art exercise equipment for a new gym, built as part of the prison's expansion in 2008.

However, the latest report by the Independent Monitoring Board said inspectors were disappointed the weights room in the new gymnasium needed to be repaired after just 18 months.

A Prison Service spokesman said it operates an incentive scheme where prisoners are allowed privileges, such as televisions in their cells, for good behaviour.

She added: "Since July 2008, no public money has been spent on the purchase of computer games consoles or games for prisoners aged 18 and over.

"Some games and consoles have continued to be provided by the Youth Justice Board for use by young people under 18 years of age, under strict supervision."