Prisoners were never allowed PS3s

Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS also banned.

Following a report earlier this week that inmates at HMP Rye Hill had been banned from using PS3s for fear that they would use the built-in wireless to communicate with friends outside of prison, the Ministry of Justice has said PS3s were "never allowed" at HMP Rye Hill.

A statement given to incgamers read: “Prisoners in England and Wales have never been allowed access to wireless enabled technology such as that used in some games consoles.

“A decision was taken some years ago that the then current generation of games consoles should be barred because the capability to send or receive radio signals is an integral part of the equipment. Future games consoles with this ability will be banned. This ban applies to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo DS."

According to a G4S spokesperson, the private firm which runs Rye Hill, inmates have only ever had access to PS1 and PS2 consoles.