Prisoner at HMP Parc found with improvised weapons including toilet roll with razors

A serving prisoner fashioned his own weapons while incarcerated by adding razors to toilet rolls and sharpening toothbrushes to a point.

Stephen Haggard, 44, was an inmate in HMP Parc in Bridgend when he was found in possession of the bladed articles by prison staff.

He was serving a sentence for possession with intent to supply class A drugs when he committed the new offences.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday heard Haggard was first found with an improvised weapon on September 1 last year when a cell search was carried out and resulted in the discovery of a cardboard toilet roll which had been folded and attached with two razor blades.

Sharpened and pointed toothbrushes found in the possession of Stephen Haggard at HMP Parc (CPS)

Another search was carried out on September 8 and a similar weapon was discovered underneath the defendant's mattress.

Prosecutor Josh Scouller said the final discovery took place on September 14 when Haggard was being taken out of his cell to go to the exercise yard when a search of his person resulted in the seizure of a toothbrush with the end cut off and the end sharpened to a point, which was concealed in his waist band.

Another similar weapon was discovered following a search of the defendant's room where a sharpened pointed toothbrush was discovered in a bed box.

A toilet roll with razor blades attached found in the possession of Stephen Haggard at HMP Parc (CPS)

Haggard, now of HMP Dovegate, pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing a bladed article in prison. The court was also told he had a large number of previous convictions, which included offences of possessing weapons.

In mitigation, William Bebb said his client was on a prison wing with "misbehaving and dangerous" individuals and was being threatened by others.

He added: "(Haggard) was feeling threatened and wanted to get off the wing. When he was challenged about one of the weapons he simply shrugged his shoulders. He didn't use those weapons, they were simply found in his cell and on his person."

Sentencing, Recorder IWL Jones said: "If there had been some sort of incident where these kind of implements were used, there is huge scope for injuries being caused."

Haggard was sentenced to a total of 16 months imprisonment, to run consecutively with his current sentence.