Flushed out robber caught on prison loo with mobile phone
YEAR ADDED TO SENTENCE AFTER DISCOVERY BY GUARDS
A ROBBER serving time in Strangeways was caught using a mobile phone to send a text while sitting on the toilet, a court heard.
John Grimshaw, 28, was found with two handsets in his cell at HMP Manchester.
He also had other items, including phone batteries, a charger, a sim card and a keypad.
Months later, after originally being caught, prison officers also found an improvised phone charger in his cell.
Grimshaw has now been sentenced to serve another year in prison, in addition to the seven year sentence he received at Bolton Crown Court in 2014, for a terrifying armed robbery on an estate agents in Bury with others.
Manchester Crown Court heard how on August 31 last year, prison officers spotted him with the phone.
Prosecuting, Duncan Wilcock said: “He (Grimshaw) was sat on the toilet with what they described as a Zanco mobile phone in his hand, which he appeared to be using.”
Zanco phones are small enough to be hidden in an orifice, and can often beat metal detectors as there are a limited amount of metal components inside them.
One officer said to Grimshaw: “Don’t be stupid, give it to me.”
Grimshaw said: “There you go boss. No point fighting over it, is there.”
He asked if anyone was on the other end of the phone, but Grimshaw said he was texting.
Then Grimshaw said ‘here you are, you might as well have this as well,’ before standing up and handing over an improvised phone charger which he had in his pocket.
Officers then carried out a full search of his cell.
They recovered another Zanco phone hidden beneath a brush on a window ledge, as well as a battery, keypad and other items.
Then on October 31 last year, officers found an improvised charger in Grimshaw’s cell in a bin.
He was arrested and admitted he knew that phones were banned in prisons.
Defending, Michael Balmer said Grimshaw had component parts because he has a reputation on his wing for being ‘handy,’ and being able to repair phones.
Mr Balmer said there was no evidence Grimshaw was using the phone for criminal purposes.
“He advises me he was simply sending a personal text message to a family member,” Mr Balmer said.
Grimshaw previously pleaded guilty to eight counts of possessing prohibited items in prison.
Sentencing, Judge Martin Walsh said: “The possession of these items undermines the good order and proper control of custodial institutions.
“Items such as these are often used to intimidate witnesses and for the pursuit of further criminal activity.”
In 2014, Grimshaw, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of an imitation firearm and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and was sentenced to seven years for his part in a raid at Pearson Ferrier estate agents in Walmersley Road, Bury, in July 2013.
Grimshaw and Jonathan Hogan, now 26, of Crostons Road, Bury, burst into the premises and threatened staff with a wrench and pistol.
Grimshaw smashed one staff member in the face with the wrench before they grabbed cash and escaped with thousands of pounds with the help of getaway driver Daniel Ogden, now 42, of George Road, Ramsbottom.
Hours later Grimshaw and a teenage girl went on a spending spree buying a car, clothing and cosmetics. He is now serving his sentence in another prison outside of Manchester.