Calls for inquiry after Jack Straw admits police killer's prison meetings were bugged

Jack Straw was facing demands for a full inquiry after admitting prison staff recorded conversations between police killer Harry Roberts and his solicitor without authorisation.

The Justice Secretary said conversations between Roberts, who was jailed for life for killing three officers in 1966, and his lawyer Simon Creighton were recorded at Channings Wood jail in Devon.

The National Offender Management Service (Noms) is to carry out a wide-ranging review of interception policy and procedures, Mr Straw added.

Roberts, 72, is in a long-running battle for parole after serving more than 40 years in prison for the notorious killings in Shepherd's Bush, west London. His lawyers may seek to use the admission to further his case.

Conversations between prisoners and their legal advisers are privileged and can only be recorded if authorised by the prison governor, in exceptional circumstances.

Mr Straw admitted: "There was no authorisation to intercept, record and monitor the legal telephone conversations between Mr Harry Roberts and his solicitor Mr Creighton."

The Prison Rules allow for the interception of phone calls, but prisoners can declare certain numbers - such as those of lawyers - as confidential.

In a statement to MPs, Mr Straw said an investigation concluded Roberts had failed to identify his solicitor's phone number to staff - a claim denied by the prisoner.

But, as a result of the case, Mr Straw said he was changing the rules to require authorisation from the chief operating officer at Noms for the interception of legal calls.

The case came to light when transcripts of the calls were obtained for a closed hearing of the parole board.

Lawyers acting for then Home Secretary Charles Clarke discovered three transcripts of calls and alerted the Treasury Solicitor and the lifer section of Noms.

Mr Straw said: "All three transcripts were then deleted from the transcripts that the Secretary of State provided to the Parole Board.

"However as a result of an oversight some copies of the transcripts were kept. The prison governor at Channings Wood was not made aware of the existence of this material."

The specially appointed advocate for Roberts at the parole board hearing was directed to send the papers to Mr Creighton in January this year - which included the undeleted transcripts, prompting the launch of the investigation.

Mr Straw also said Derbyshire Constabulary had recorded conversations between Roberts and his legal advisers.

The interceptions were "properly authorised" but only detective constables knew of the operation and failed to inform their superiors. The calls recorded by Derbyshire Police were never used as evidence or intelligence.

It follows the bugging of conversations between Labour MP Sadiq Khan and his constituent Babar Ahmad at Woodhill Prison, Milton Keynes.

There has been a ban on bugging MPs for more than 40 years under the so-called Wilson doctrine, named after former PM Harold Wilson.

Liberal Democrat justice spokesman David Howarth said: "The excuse that privileged conversations are being taped accidentally is wearing a bit thin.

"This sounds very similar to the explanation given for the interception of a conversation between a prisoner and Sadiq Khan.

"It is difficult to believe that those listening would not have realised very quickly that the conversation was with a lawyer. There must be a full-scale inquiry into the extent of this practice."