Son’s killer posting on social media from prison, parents say

The parents of Joshua Hall say they are forced to watch their son’s killer post videos and messages on social media from inside a UK prison, describing the situation as both illegal and psychologically devastating.

What the family discovered

Karen and David Hall, from Wolverhampton, lost their 24-year-old son Joshua in March 2021 after he was fatally stabbed during an altercation in the city centre. His killer was sentenced to a minimum of 18 years at HMP Hewell in Worcestershire. But the nightmare, the Halls say, didn’t end with the verdict.

Karen first noticed the posts roughly six months ago. Short clips, comments on other users’ content, even what appeared to be a live session. All of it apparently originating from inside the prison. “You bury your child and you think the worst is over,” she told reporters this week. “Then you see his face on your phone screen like nothing happened.”

The rules and how they’re being broken

Prisoners in England and Wales are prohibited from possessing mobile phones under the Prison Act 1952. Conviction for smuggling a device into a prison carries a sentence of up to two years. Yet phones remain one of the most commonly confiscated contraband items in the prison estate. In 2023 alone, authorities recovered more than 7,000 mobile phones and SIM cards from prisons across England and Wales.

It’s not a new problem. But the rise of social media has given it a sharper, more public edge. Families of victims can now stumble across their loved one’s killer mid-scroll, without warning, without choice.

A spokesperson for the Prison Service said: “Mobile phones are strictly prohibited in prisons and we take robust action against those found with them, including adding time to sentences. We are aware of this case and are investigating.”

The toll on grieving families

The Halls are now calling on the government to do more. They want tougher penalties for prisoners caught with phones, faster takedowns by social media platforms, and a dedicated reporting channel for victims’ families.

This isn’t just about one family’s pain.

Victim support groups say they are hearing similar stories with increasing frequency. Phones find their way in through visitors, corrupt staff, and increasingly via drones — 81 drone incidents were recorded at prisons in 2023. Once inside, a smartphone is essentially a gateway to the outside world with virtually no oversight.

What happens next

David Hall said the family has reported the posts to both the prison and the relevant social media platform three times over the past four months. The account is still active. “We’re not asking for anything extraordinary,” he said. “We just want it stopped.”

Ministers are expected to face fresh pressure in parliament over prison phone contraband in the coming weeks. For the Halls, that can’t come soon enough. Every day the account stays up is, as Karen puts it, another day they can’t begin to move forward.