Jail cells get a makeover

LONDON - For more than 40 years it has revelled in its reputation as Britain's most unwelcoming police station.

Deep below Paddington Green's ugly 1960s facade its bomb-proof cells have provided an unpleasant home to some unpleasant people.

The occupants of the 3.6m by 3.6m cells have included members of the IRA, the failed 21/7 London bombers and many al Qaeda suspects.

They and their lawyers have complained about the Spartan facilities. The 16 cells have no windows - just a bed and a toilet. In winter, they're too cold and in summer too hot. Their white tiles are even rumoured to be symmetrical to prevent suspects from focusing on an image to block out interrogation.

But all that is about to change. Following recommendations from Lord Carlile, the official reviewer of the Government's terrorism laws, the cells are about to "reopen" after being refurbished at a cost of £490,000 ($1.26 million).

They will now include an "audio and visual system" where prisoners will be able to watch films and listen to music. Prisoners will also have their own desks with writing material provided. Yet the decision to afford terror suspects this type of treatment has not gone down well with some counter-terror officers.

One told the Independent: "If you beat up your wife or have a fight down the pub you will be slung in a cramped cell with nothing more than a toilet and a mattress. But if you are a terrorist intent on blowing things up then you get a luxurious cell with a telly and a CD player. It doesn't seem right."

The decision to upgrade Paddington Green's facilities was made after legislation was passed allowing the police to hold terror suspects for almost a month in the cells.

- INDEPENDENT