Judge hits out at level of contraband in prisons

A senior judge has highlighted the “highly disturbing” smuggling trade in Britain’s prisons as he jailed an inmate for 12 years for a vicious knife attack in a fight that left a second man dead.

Basana Kimbembi, 35, was found not guilty of murdering 21-year-old Jamal Mahmoud at HMP Pentonville in October last year, but was convicted of wounding his friend Mohammed Ali, 22, following a three-month trial at the Old Bailey.

The confrontation on Gwing was over ownership of a football-sized package of phones and drugs brought into the north London jail. Judge Richard Marks QC said it appeared such items were in “abundant supply”.