Argued prisoner should get looked after (9)

I believe the answer is:

contended

'argued' is the definition.
('contend' can be a synonym of 'argue')

'prisoner should get looked after' is the wordplay.
'prisoner' becomes 'con' (abbreviation for 'convict').
'should get' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'looked after' becomes 'tended' (tending is a kind of looking after).
'con'+'tended'='CONTENDED'

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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