The most dangerous criminals in the UK are being given pets behind bars - including budgies and tortoises.
Three high security prisons have gifted animals to inmates as a reward for good behaviour, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirmed.
One prisoner at Strangeways - now known as HMP Manchester and one of the UK's largest high security, Category A men's prisons - owns a tortoise.
And two convicts at Yorkshire's HMP Full Sutton and HMP Wakefield respectively - maximum security facilities for some of the country's worst criminals - have a budgie.
The latter is nicknamed Monster Mansion for the infamous inmates incarcerated there over the years, like Ian Huntley, Charles Bronson and Levi Bellfield.
