Prisoner brought Mcdonald’s, a tin of mackerel and phones into jail
AN INMATE carrying a Mcdonald’s takeaway was caught trying to smuggle iphones, tobacco and phone chargers into a prison.
Mark Buttery was stopped by security as he made his way back into HMP Sudbury, after being trusted to work while serving his sentence.
Derby Crown Court heard how they searched the bag he had on him and found a tin of mackerel, a Mcdonald’s fast food takeaway, six phone chargers, eight mobiles and tobacco – with him having just seven days left of his prison sentence.
Recorder Mark Watson handed the 48-year-old more prison time for his actions.
He said: “In prison you were entrusted to be able to leave for employment, that is clearly a position you had earned and trust was placed in you.
“Sadly you breached that trust by trying to bring contraband back into prison. You must accept a sentence of imprisonment.” The court heard the incident took place on February 13 this year at 6.50am.
Lucy Jones, prosecuting, said Buttery was serving a sentence for possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.
While in prison he had been awarded a “special status”, allowing him to have employment at Boots Warehouse in Burton.
Ms Jones said: “He was returning to prison after a night shift.
“(He had) hold of a bag. Officers asked him if he had anything that he shouldn’t and he said he had ‘loads’. The officers looked inside the bag and inside was a tin of mackerel, a Mcdonald’s, six phone chargers, tobacco and eight mobile phones – which included seven iphones and one Samsung.
“He said he picked them (the mobile phones) up from somebody outside and was dropping them off for someone in prison. He was transferred to HMP Ranby to spend the last week of his sentence there.”
Ms Jones told the court Buttery pleaded guilty to the offences at the first opportunity when he appeared at court on October 5.
Rebecca Coleman, mitigating, said Buttery regretted his actions. She said: “He is fully aware of the serious nature for these types of offences. He entered an early guilty plea, he made admissions at interview and admissions at the time of the offences. That shows very real remorse.
“He had seven days left (of his sentence), that perhaps is the biggest regret for him.
“For some 15 years he had lived a law-abiding life and kept himself out of trouble.
“He was asked by an inmate to do this act. It was someone you can’t say no to. He made the very wrong decision. He regrets it.”
Buttery, of Kingsley Road, Burton, pleaded guilty to two charges of conveying a prohibited article into prison.
Recorder Watson jailed Buttery for nine months.