Phone smuggled into Stoke Heath prison for inmate 'to make calls to grandmother'
An inmate who was caught trying to smuggle a mobile phone into a prison near Market Drayton, claiming he wanted to make regular calls to his sick grandmother, has had six months added on to his jail term.
Steven Fletcher was passed the phone, along with a phone charger, by his sister when she visited him in Stoke Heath prison in February, Telford Magistrates Court heard.
Ms Amanda Tomkins, prosecuting, said his sister Nerisan Nichol visited the 21-year-old on February 14.
She told the court he was seen fidgeting in the visit hall and he attracted the attention of prison staff who continued to observe his behaviour on CCTV.
His sister's behaviour was also suspicious and the pair were seen to be continuously looking around the room.
Ms Tomkins said about an hour into the visit Ms Nichol removed her coat and placed it across her lap.
She was then seen fiddling around the waist band of her trousers.
The court was told she put her hand into the front of her trousers and readjusted herself but continued to look around.
Fletcher was seen to lean forward by prison staff.
Ms Tomkins said Ms Nichol then passed her brother a package which he put down his boxer shorts. Fletcher, who is currently serving a jail term after being convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine, was later stopped by prison staff and produced a mobile phone and charger.
He appeared at Telford Magistrates Court via video link on Thursday and pleaded guilty to bringing a prohibited article into a prison. His sister was charged with the same offence and received a four month suspended prison sentence.
Ms Kim Roberts, representing Fletcher, asked magistrates for full credit for entering a guilty plea at the first opportunity.
She told the court: "He's been very open with me. He is remorseful for what he's done.
"He wasn't thinking straight at the time when these arrangements were made.
"He doesn't want to find himself in this situation again. He will not be seeking attempts in the future to get things in or out of the prison."
Ms Roberts said when she asked him why he wanted the mobile phone he told her his grandmother was his next of kin and was unwell.
She said: "He simply wanted to speak to her. There was no alternative motive. He wanted to speak to his nan more than he was able to through the proper procedures at the prison."
Magistrates ordered that Fletcher should serve an extra six months in prison for the offence.
They also made an order for the mobile phone and charger to be destroyed.
