Suspended sentence for ex-inmate who supplied mamba in Shropshire prison

That is despite the court of appeal telling judges to hand out custodial sentences as a deterrent.

While in the segregation unit at Stoke Heath Prison, 22-year-old Coben Horrocks was suspected to have had the drug in his possession after a social visit in September 2017.

Horrocks was in the prison near Market Drayton for dangerous driving and robbery offences.

Prison officers discovered he had quantities of mamba in his possession, which was described by Judge Anthony Lowe as being able to turn inmates into zombies.

Horrocks had previously admitted a charge of possession with intent to supply a class B drug, and was given an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Thursday.

Judge Lowe said: “You better than anyone one else in this room know the effects of mamba in prison.

"You’ve been given a golden opportunity, if you mess it up you’ve only got yourself to blame.”

The court heard from probation officer Dawn Telford about how Horrocks had been released from custody in January 2018, and had turned his life around after previously becoming addicted to the drug in prison.

He told the officer he realised the drug caused mayhem in prisons and fully accepted responsibility for his actions.

Martin Keys, defending, said his client has changed in the year since he was released, and urged the judge to not jail him.

Judge Lowe explained the court of appeal urged circuit judges to hand out custodial sentences for people who supply drugs in prison, because it could “turn people into zombies and make them extremely aggressive towards inmates and prison staff.”

However passing the sentence, he said: “To send you back to prison would be counter productive, even if it would serve as a deterrent to others.”

Horrocks, of Compton Croft, Birmingham, was also ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and 30 rehabilitation days.