locked-up clients.

Mark Pettingill -- furious at a Prison Service ban on telephone contact with Westgate clients -- said: "The efforts have met with success.'' Mr. Pettingill threatened to sue the Prison Service for denying telephone access, claiming it was a violation of rights and against the Constitution.

But he said last night: "I'm very happy that this has been resolved without court action.

"I understand the Prisons Commissioner has issued a statement to the officers at Westgate that lawyers are allowed to contact their clients.

"If there is any difficulty clients will be allowed to call back, but if they are available, we will be able to speak to them.'' Mr. Pettingill added: "Now we have had a day wasted and one day is too much -- it's all very well for them to say they have made a mistake.'' He said he had only found out by chance about the change in policy on Monday -- and added that he understood it had been operating for some time before it came to his attention. Mr. Pettingill was told on Monday that telephone policy had changed when he tried to call a client in Westgate and that he would now have to make appointments to see prisoners in person.

Prisons Commissioner Ed Dyer said the change had been forced by abuse of the phones at Westgate. It is understood members of the public had been calling friends inside and getting through by claiming to be lawyers.

See Editorial, Page 4