Inmate was caught smuggling banned phones into jail
AN inmate carrying a Mcdonald’s was caught trying to smuggle iphones, tobacco and phone chargers into a prison.
Mark Buttery was stopped by security as he made his way back into HMP Sudbury, after being trusted to work while serving his sentence.
Derby Crown Court heard how they searched the bag he had on him and found a tin of mackerel, a Mcdonald’s, six phone chargers, eight mobiles and tobacco – with him having just seven days left of his prison sentence.
Recorder Mark Watson, who presided over the case, handed the 48-year-old more prison time for his actions. He said: “In prison you were entrusted to be able to leave for employment, that is clearly a position you had earned and trust was placed in you.
“Sadly you breached that trust by trying to bring contraband back into prison. You must accept a sentence of imprisonment.”
The court heard the incident took place on February 13, this year, at 6.50am at HMP Sudbury.
Lucy Jones, prosecuting, told the court Buttery was a serving prisoner for a sentence of possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
Whilst serving in prison, he had been awarded a “special status” allowing him to have employment at Boots Warehouse, in Burton.
Ms Jones said: “He was returning to prison after a night g shift. He had hold of a bag. Officers asked him if he had anything that he shouldn’t and he e said he had ‘loads’.
“The officers looked inside and found a tin of mackerel, a Mcdonald’s, six phone chargers, tobacco and eight mobile phones - which included sevven iphones and one Samsung.
“He said he picked ed them up from somebody outside and was dropping them off for someone in prison. He was transferred to HMP Ranby to spend the last week of his sentence there.” Ms Jones told the court Buttery pleaded guilty to the offences at the first opportunity when he appeared at magistrates’ court, on October 5.
She said: “He is fully aware of the serious nature for these types of offences. He entered an early guilty plea, he made admissions at interview and admissions at the time of the offences. That shows very real remorse.
“He has limited antecedence cedence. He had seven days da left (of his sen sentence), that pe perhaps is the biggest regret for him. For s some 15 years he had lived a law-abiding li life and kept h himself out of tro trouble.
“H “He was asked by an inmate to do this act. It was someone you can’ can’t say no to. He made the very wrong decision. He regrets it.”
Buttery, of Kingsley Road, Burton, pleaded guilty to two charges of conveying a prohibited article into prison and was jailed for nine months.
Officers asked him if he had anything that he shouldn’t and he said he had ‘loads’ Lucy Jones, prosecuting