Gang leader Kane Barratt, 20, from Stockport, managed to post comments and photographs about life in prison on the internet social networking site using a mobile phone, which is prohibited in prison.

Using the name Kane Reilly, he was able to publish pictures of himself posing topless in his cell, ask the chilling question: "Who should I put on my hit list today?", tell his girlfriend he was looking forward to seeing her, describe his visits to the gym, and chat with pals who were in trouble with the police.

Barratt is serving five and a half years after pleading guilty to two robberies and three burglaries.

He led a gang that burgled several homes, threatened victims with machetes and stole cars during a six-week crime spree in the Greater Manchester area.

A Prison Service spokesman said that an investigation had taken place and added: "Prisoners do not have access to mobile phones or the internet and cannot personally contribute to websites.

"This form of media is totally unregulated and we have no power to remove a social networking profile from the internet."

"The Ministry of Justice has contacted Facebook in order to seek their help in assisting the Prison Service in preventing prisoners from making inappropriate postings on their website."