The Pentonville Prison inmate who staged a three-hour rooftop protest has been put into segregation, the Prison Service said this morning.

It has also launched an investgation after the prisoner, who called himself “Titch”, gained access to a workshop roof at around midday yesterday.

He was believed to be protesting about poor conditions in the Caledonian Road jail. Negotiators were called and he voluntarily came down just before 3pm.

A Prison Service spokeswoman confirmed the investigation has been launched and added: “Any breach of prison discipline is taken extremely seriously.”

Pentonville has a troubled history, with a recent Independent Monitoring Board shedding light on squalor and drug fuelled violence.