A prisoner who was due to be released next month has been jailed for another year after being caught with a phone in his cell.
Dean Whitehead was found to have a thumb-sized mobile phone hidden in the handle of the kettle inside his cell at HM Cardiff Prison while serving a three-year sentence.
Sentencing him at Cardiff Crown Court Recorder Christopher Felstead said: “You have a substantial offending history.”
The court heard he was previously jailed for three years for supplying cocaine, assault, possessing a blade, and possessing an offensive weapon.
Thomas Stanway, prosecuting, said the defendant was the only person in his cell when it was searched by prison officers on September 10 last year.
The officers did not find anything on Whitehead but noticed the handle of the kettle had been “tampered with”. They found a small mobile phone wrapped in cling film inside.
Prosecutors said he made “full and frank” admissions, stating another prisoner left the phone for him although he would not say who.
He told officers it was damaged but admitted he managed to use it to call his family twice a week as they lived a long way away from the prison.
The court heard he had 53 previous offences on his record. During his last appearance at court he was jailed for approximately three years for offences including drug supply.
Whitehead, 33, who is now in HM Exeter Prison, admitted possessing a mobile phone in prison.
Clare Fear, defending, pointed out he cooperated with the authorities and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. She said he was punished within the prison by being separated for three weeks and then he lost his privileges – including television and gym access – for another two weeks.
Ms Fear told the court her client used the phone to contact his family who live in Manchester. He used it to make calls at more child-friendly times than he could when using the prison phone.
Whitehead was due to be released on April 14 but was jailed for 12 months. Recorder Felstead made an order for the phone to be destroyed.
