Prison visitor tried to smuggle drugs, tobacco and phones
A PRISON visitor was caught by a sniffer dog trying to smuggle drugs, tobacco and mobile phones past jail guards.
Karl Davies tried to sneak through security at HM Parc Prison with a package stashed in his trousers containing Subutex tablets, spice, tobacco, two miniature mobile phones and a charging cable.
Sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Jonathan Furness QC said: “We have considerable problems in our prisons as a result of the consumption of drugs.
“The courts will do everything they can to stamp out the supply of drugs and other items of contra- band into prisons.”
John Warren, prosecuting, said the incident occurred at around 10.20am on May 1 last year at the prison in Bridgend.
The court heard Davies was visiting his brother, who was a serving prisoner at the time.
Mr Warren said there were signs in the visitor area clearly explaining what could and could not be taken in.
Davies walked past a sniffer dog, who alerted his handler, and was detained in a private room.
The court heard he did not consent to a body search and was told police would be called for a strip search.
Davies then handed over a “tightly bound” package and told prison staff he had been paid £200 to bring it in.
He said he knew he was in trouble when he walked past the dog and accepted he was “fully aware” he was committing an offence.
The package was found to contain 12 Subutex tablets, or buprenorphine – a List A prohibited item.
It also contained 13.2g of spice, some tobacco and two miniature phones with a charging cable – items on List B banned under the Prison Act 1952.
Mr Warren said the defendant had been before the courts for 36 previous offences.
He was jailed for 32 months in 2012 for possessing heroin with intent to supply and being con- cerned in the supply of heroin. The defendant was in breach of an eightweek prison sentence, suspended for two years, imposed in June 2016 for two offences of driving under the influence of drugs.
Davies, 37, from Railway Terrace in Ogmore Vale, admitted taking prohibited items into prison and possessing a psychoactive substance with intent to supply.
Timothy Hartland, defending, said his client started using heroin when he was 15 but had reached “a crossroads” in his life.
Judge Furness jailed Davies for 91 weeks and made an order for the items to be destroyed.