Staffs prison drug smuggler jailed

The 23-year-old landed in trouble after police investigating an unrelated matter in May last year seized and crushed a friend's £700 motorbike that he was repairing at his home, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

Phillips came under pressure from the owner of the machine to pay for the loss but had not got a job and was short of money, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

He 'gave in' to the demands and attempted to settle the matter by passing on high purity cocaine and cannabis to an inmate at Dovegate Prison in Staffordshire on October 17.

On arrival he signed a statement 'confirming' he was not carrying any contraband but jail staff later spotted him behaving suspiciously in the visiting area, said Mrs Sati Ruck, prosecuting. He was repeatedly looking at the CCTV cameras and had his hands inside his tracksuit trousers.

Phillips was escorted to another room where a strip search revealed £700 worth of cocaine and cannabis hidden on his body. Further inquiries unearthed a small amount of cannabis at his home in Old Fallings Lane, Low Hill. Mr Jasvir Mann, defending, disclosed: "He is a casual user of the drug.

"He was repairing somebody else's motor bike at his home when it was seized by the police and crushed. He was put under pressure to make good the money for the bike but was not working. He could not see his way forward, was given an opportunity and took it. He was exploited and gave in."

Phillips, who had previous convictions, pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle drugs into the prison and was jailed by Judge Simon Ward who told him:

"I am sure you know our prisons have a real problem with drugs which causes all sorts of difficulties and dangers for inmates and those working in prisons. It is a serious problem and you tried to contribute to it. It was very high purity cocaine which you hoped to convey to a prisoner but you were stopped before you could pass on the drugs.