Ex-soldier spared jail for smuggling drugs and a phone into Stoke Heath Prison

Michael Bona 32, of Prestatyn, North Wales, was a visitor at the prison in December 2016, when he was seen swapping shoes with Stoke Heath inmate Jamie Hall, 43.

The shoes contained a mobile phone and a drug linked to psychosis. The pair were spotted by officers and the items were seized.

Bona, who formerly served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers admitted the offences at his first hearing, and was given a suspended sentence at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday.

Hall, who is currently serving a sentence was given a custodial sentence to run concurrently, for his part in possessing the mobile phone and the drugs.

Patrick Sullivan, prosecuting, told the court that both men had pleaded guilty on a basis that they were middle men for others in prison.

Both were seated together in the visitor hall when Bona visited on December 12 and were watched by officers.

Officers noted them swap shoes, and when searched, the soles of the shoes Hall was wearing had hollowed out soles containing the class C drug, methyl, and a mobile phone.

Both gave no comment interviews.

Mr Sullivan said both acts seriously undermined the security in prisons, and gives a chance for prisoners to connect with loved ones on the outside.

Hall, who appeared via video link, said he was passing on the drugs to somebody else.

Kevin Jones, for Hall, said his client wanted to make sure the judge aware he understood how vulnerable people who have drugs in prison are.

Mr Jones said Hall had suffered a family breakdown after his latest incarceration, his parents live abroad and he was vulnerable and on his own, which made him a target.

He said he wanted to make sure it was known what his instructions were and what his role was in this.

Mr Jones added: "I hope you give him credit for his frankness.

"He may be moving to a different prison where he will undergo a two to three year programme of therapy, and take on a university degree."

Julian Nutter, for Bona, said his client served in Iraq and had been diagnosed with PTSD from the scenes he witnessed while serving his country.

Mr Nutter said: "This case has an element of tragedy.

"Debt was also behind these offences, and he is now being helped with this.

"He is suffering, he has been through the mill.

"The pre sentence report shows the offences are consistent with a man suffering from a break down."

Mr Nutter added Bona had held down a good job for some time, and his employers did not know about the case.

He also his client had shown remorse, had five children, and a custodial sentence would bring ruin on his young family.

Mr Nutter added: "He has served his country and that is the most positive mitigation.

"He is in every sense a broken man, and this is an exceptional and unusual case.

"These are exceptional reasons to give him the opportunity to repay society for his wrong doings, this side of the gates."

Sentencing the pair, Judge Jim Tindal said taking drugs into prison stops people rehabilitating themselves, and are used as bargaining counters as ways to control people in prison.

He said Hall had been very honest in admitting he had passed on the drugs, before sentencing him to six months in prison for each offence.

On Bona, Judge Tindal said there was a degree of sophistication to the offence, and said his PTSD would have had some baring on his ability to cope with debt and sensible judgement, adding he was a low risk of re-offending.

Bona was given 12 months in prison suspended for two years for smuggling a mobile phone to prison, and four months for the drugs offence, suspended for two years to run concurrently.

He was ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work, and 20 rehabilitation days.

Judge Tindal added: "You are very, very lucky."