Mum smuggled drugs into prison in her bra
A NURSING assistant who went to visit her partner in prison with their fiveyear-old child tried to smuggle drugs to him hidden in her bra.
Somaya Jama attempted to sneak £200 worth of buprenorphine past security at HM Parc Prison, but was searched after attracting the attention of sniffer dogs.
Sentencing her at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said the defendant’s behaviour was “extremely foolish”.
The court heard the incident happened at the prison in Bridgend on Wednesday, February 13.
Gareth James, prosecuting, said Jama walked past signs telling visitors which items were banned as she went to see her then partner
He added: “The sniffer dogs showed interest in the defendant.”
The court heard Jama, who had her daughter with her, was taken into a side room and told she was going to be searched.
Mr James said: “She reached into her bra and presented a package.”
The package was examined and found to contain four buprenorphine tablets, worth between £30-£50 each in the prison environment.
Her bag was searched and she was found to have a small quantity of Class B drug amphetamine.
Jama accepted she was taking the buprenorphine into prison for her boyfriend. She said she felt pressured to do it because he was a drug user and told her he was not getting the support he needed from prison staff.
The defendant stated she knew what she was doing was illegal, but did not realise the punishment could be so serious.
She told officers the amphetamine was for personal use and she had been taking it on and off for about two years to control her weight.
Jama, 31, from Lavender Grove in Cardiff, admitted taking a banned item into prison and possessing amphetamine.
Christopher Rees, defending, said the mum-oftwo had no previous convictions and is no longer in a relationship with that partner.
The court heard that while a nursing assistant at Llandough University Hospital, the single mum stepped in to stop a knife attack on a colleague.
Mr Rees said there was a delay in the case coming to court due to the postal requisition.
In her sentencing remarks, Judge LloydClarke told the defendant: “Until this time, you were a respectable member of the community.”
Jama was given a sixmonth jail term, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work, plus six days of a rehabilitation activity.
She must comply with a three-month curfew and an order was made for the drugs to be destroyed.