Drugs mule sent back to tougher jail
Moved from open prison after moan
DRUGS mule Roger Clarke has been moved to a tougher prison after claiming jail chiefs have been breaching his human rights.
Clarke, 77, who was serving his time in an open prison, had said he should have been freed over a year ago and that he was lining up a £60,000 compensation bid.
His whining seems to have landed him in hot water with jail bosses who have now transferred him back to a closed prison.
A source said: “Roger was enjoying day release from an open prison for months.
“But his claims of a human rights breach have not gone down well with officials. It violated the terms of his temporary release and he’s been sent straight back to a closed prison.
“Roger was due to be released in May but that’s now completely up in smoke.” The Ministry of Justice said: “Prisoners must pass a robust risk assessment before any move to open conditions prison.
“We do not hesitate to move them back to closed prisons if they break the rules.”
Clarke has said he should have been freed in December 2022 after serving half his eight-year term for bringing £1million of cocaine on a cruise ship from St Lucia to Europe with wife Susan.
The pair were arrested on the liner as it sailed into Portugal’s capital Lisbon in December 2018.
Sewn inside the lining of their luggage was 20lb of cocaine.
The couple denied they knew it was there. Clarke said they were doing a “favour” for friends.
After a stint in a tough jail in Lisbon, he was moved to Britain’s prison system in 2021, days after Susan died behind bars aged 72.
Last week the Mirror tracked Clarke down to Sittingbourne, Kent, while he was on day release from nearby Standford Hill jail on the Isle of Sheppey.
Repeating his denials, he said: “I can understand why people don’t believe me.
“Sue knew nothing. I blame myself, I should have checked, but I trusted these people.”
Clarke said he makes matchstick picture frames for other inmates in exchange for vapes.
He added he was going on day release twice each month.
Clarke also said he had to fork out £158 of his own money for the flight from Lisbon when he was transferred back to Britain.