LAGS made ill by dodgy egg-mayo sandwiches are suing the Prison Service for up to ?500,000.
Around 250 came down with suspected salmonella after eating the jail canteen sarnies in September.
Now the Wandsworth prison cons - including rapists, killers and paedophiles - are lining up for a taxpayer-funded windfall.
Each is expected to sue for between ?1,000 and ?5,000 depending on symptoms - which included stomache aches, vomiting and diarrhoea.
If the South London nick admits negligence, the Prison Service is likely to offer an out-of-court settlement. A prison source said: "Most of these prisoners think it's hilarious that they can sue.
"It is ridiculous they should be able to profit because they got a bit ill from a sandwich."
Cases have been taken by solicitors on a no-win no-fee basis. Simon O'Coughlin, of Hodge, Jones and Allen, said: "We've been approached by around 80 inmates and I know other firms are involved. The Ministry of Justice is waiting for a report by the prison's infection-prevention team.
"We need to see what this report says. Any compensation will be based on if there's been any negligence."
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "This is an ongoing matter so it would be inappropriate to comment."
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