Prison life loses its magic for convicted murderer

A MAXIMUM security prisoner won the backing of the Magic Circle yesterday after being been banned from buying magic books in case he taught himself escapology.

The convicted murderer, behind bars at Frankland jail, Durham, England, complained about the British Prison Service ruling in a letter to prison newspaper, Inside Time. Shaun Tuley, who murdered a 20-year-old prostitute in September 2000, said he was refused permission on grounds of “operational security problems” to purchase magic books, sought to “pursue my hobby whilst serving a life sentence”. He asked inmates with “like-minded passion for magic” to correspond with him.

A prisons source said: “We are fans of Harry Houdini but I don’t really think prison is the right place for his successor.”

Magic Circle spokesman David Beckley said: “I can’t understand the Prison Service’s attitude unless he asked for books on escapology.” A Prison Service spokesman said the titles weren’t “appropriate”.