Foolish brickie talked into coke deal by woman half his age
‘THERE’S NO FOOL LIKE AND OLD FOOL’, JUDGE TELLS HIM
AN “old fool” was talked into bringing drugs to a prison inmate who boasted she could sell it for four times its value to fellow prisoners.
Bricklayer Simon O’Rourke arranged over the phone to try to smuggle cocaine to Rebecca Matthews, who was serving time at HMP Foston Hall.
Derby Crown Court heard how during their conversation he said to her “are you going to sell my sniff, Becky?” to which she replied “why are you talking like that this is being recorded?”.
The 58-year-old then brought the drug to Derbyshire from his West Midlands home and the pair were caught out.
Handing O’Rourke, of Solihull, a 14-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, Judge Shaun Smith said: “As the saying goes ‘there is no fool like an old fool.’
“For reasons best known to you, you were persuaded to do this by her and it all ended in disaster.
“Goodness knows why you got involved in this.”
And jailing Matthews, 27, for 18 months the judge said: “I have absolutely no doubt you were the instigator.”
Sarah Slater, prosecuting said the offence took place on December 2, 2018, at the women-only Derbyshire prison.
She said O’Rourke, of Wichnor Road, and Matthews, of no fixed address, were talking on the telephone about him coming to see her.
Miss Slater said: “During that conversation he said to her ‘are you going to sell my sniff (cocaine), Becky?’ and she replied saying ‘why are you talking like that this is being recorded?’
“She then went on to say ‘I have made a killing here before,’ which the Crown say shows she had sold cocaine at Foston Hall when she was there previously.
“On the day of the visit prison officers noticed he was very fidgety, approached him and took him to one side. On his person was cocaine and a substance we say was bicarbonate or another cutting agent.
“It was worth £1,600 because she talks about the value being four times higher inside prison than outside.
“He was arrested and said he took the drugs to her to cheer her up and in her interview she denied she had encouraged him to bring it in.”
O’Rourke pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply a class A drug.
Phillip Plant, mitigating, said his client works as a bricklayer and had got involved with Matthews, who is less than half his age, as he wanted to help her.
He said: “This is an unusual situation, he did something completely out of character.”
As part of the suspended sentence he was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
Matthews, a mother-of-one, pleaded guilty to one charge of attempting to convey a class A substance into prison.
Theresa Hunt, her barrister, said: “She accepts she was the instigator. There was a lack of sophistication, she knew she was being recorded. It was the most basic attempt which was doomed to fail.”
PAM and Jack Swain recently celebrated 63 years of marriage thanks to staff at the care home where they live.
The devoted couple have been living at Chatsworth Lodge Care Home in Chesterfield for almost a year, and as a special treat, the staff came together to host a special dinner for them. Throughout the evening, Pam and Jack reminisced about the past 63 years they’ve spent as husband and wife and staff were delighted to hear all about their love story.
After their meal, Jack gushed over his wife and thanked staff, saying: “I love my wife with all my heart every day, not only on Valentine’s day, but the meal was beautiful and we’re very grateful that they did this for us.”
Michelle Rose, Home Manager at Chatsworth Lodge, commented: “What a wonderful day to spend with a wonderful couple, an inspiration to us all.”
Offering residential and shortterm respite care, Chatsworth Lodge says it is committed to providing the best possible care and continues to go above and beyond to keep every resident safe during the pandemic. The Orchard Care Home is rated ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission.