Prisoner was ‘coerced’ into holding phone

A long-term prisoner who has“spent the majority of his adult life”behind bars was caught with a mobile phone in his cell after a tip-off to jailers.

Perth Sheriff Court was told that 52-year-old William Cunningham’s earliest release date is January, 2026, after being handed down jail terms totalling eight years.

His lawyer Garry Fowlis pleaded with the sheriff to“show some mercy,” pointing out that his client, despite his lengthy list of convictions, was a “very vulnerable individual”in prison.

“There was pressure on him to hold this phone,” explained the lawyer.

“He should have come forward when he was coerced and immediately offered up the phone.”

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis jailed Cunningham, now an inmate at Shotts Prison, for four months. But that will be served at the same time as his present lengthy sentence.

He admitted being in possession of the mobile at Perth Prison on June

18, 2019.

Depute fiscal Michael Sweeney said:“About 5.30pm, an intelligenceled search was carried out in the accused’s cell.

“Asked if he had anything he shouldn’t have had, he handed over the phone.”

Cunningham had been jailed for 43 months in May, 2019, for housebreaking and there had been“further lengthy sentences imposed,” taking the total to eight years.

Mr Fowlis revealed that the accused had allegedly been abused in a children’s home when he was aged just seven and was a potential Crown witness in a pending trial.

Cunningham admitted 10 pages of previous convictions.