Dyfed Powys Police and Haverfordwest Library have teamed-up to provide suspected offenders in police custody with unwanted books.

Pembrokeshire Library Services has agreed to donate its old stock, which it no longer wants, to Dyfed Powys Police in Pembrokeshire, so officers can distribute books among prisoners in police cells, bringing a whole new meaning to, 'custodial sentences'.

Police have already received one delivery of books and the scheme has been well received.

Custody Sergeant Brian Murphy pursued the idea after reading about a similar scheme carried out by another UK force.

He said: "I thought that providing prisoners with something to read would give them an opportunity to exercise their minds.

"I hope prisoners will appreciate the gesture and it will also have a calming effect on them by keeping their minds occupied. We're providing books with stories and characters that we think prisoners will be able to associate with or will find interesting.

"By reading it may even encourage prisoners to think about their own lives and by learning about people who have been able to transform their lives for the better it may inspire some to break the cycle of offending and lead a more law-abiding lifestyle.

"The books have had a positive effect on some of the people we have in custody and having something to read has calmed them down and improved their behaviour," he added.

The types of books that have been donated include fiction and non-fiction, as well as stories about sports, history, animals, and space among others.

Gill Gilliland, librarian at Haverfordwest Library, said: "The books we're donating have been withdrawn from stock and while many of the books are readable, they are no longer in good enough condition to be loaned out so would normally be sent for recycling.

"When the police approached us with the suggestion of giving the books to those in custody we thought it was an excellent idea. Reading enables us to learn about the world and I hope that receiving a book will have a positive effect on the lives of prisoners."

She added: "This is a great example of partnership working between the police and the library service in the county and we will continue to provide a wide range of appropriate reading material."