Prisoners are living under a lockdown within a lockdown, York Crown Court heard.

Stephen Cowell, formerly of York and now of Selby, told his barrister Sean Smith that inmates at Hull Prison were spending virtually all their time in their cells.

Normally, they would be allowed out of their cells into communal areas of the prison for exercise, education or work.

But the prison authorities have the right to keep them in their cells for general prison safety.

Several prisons have reported cases of coronavirus in both staff and prisoners.

Cowell, 59, has been held at Hull Prison since his arrest earlier this Spring and had never served a prison sentence.

Mr Smith told York Crown Court: "I am instructed it is almost permanent lockdown."

Justice secretary Robert Buckland told the House of Commons prisoners were spending more time in their cells. 

But they were being allowed out on a rota basis in supervised groups for exercise and for washing themselves. 

The groups had to be small enough to allow for social distancing.