A criminal locked up for pulling out his ex-girlfriend's tooth during a brutal assault convinced his dad to smuggle drugs into jail so he could pay off a debt.
According to Hull Live, Kurt Wright, 36, was behind bars when he persuaded his dad, who has also served time, to assist him.
But the sly duo were caught redhanded after a prison officer overhead a suspicious comment and kept a close eye on them, a court heard.
Kurt Wright, formerly of Victoria Road, Driffield, admitted asking his father to bring the drugs into the prison during visiting hours on December 8, 2019.
His father, Michael Wright, 56, of Northfield Avenue, Driffield, admitted taking the 36 Class C tablets into prison.
Dale Brook, prosecuting, told Hull Crown Court that Kurt Wright was a serving prisoner at HMP Humber, Everthorpe, at the time.
He had been jailed for two years and eight months in August 2019 for assault, threatening to damage property and breaching a restraining order.
Wright had ripped out an abscess-riddled tooth from his ex-girlfriend's mouth while she was holding her 16-month-old baby.
He squeezed the tooth so hard that it broke off and the terrified mother-of-three half-swallowed it and had to cough it back up.
While Kurt Wright was in prison, he was visited by his father and mother.
A prison officer overheard another prisoner tell Kurt Wright: "Don't forget to get that thingy off thingy."
She was suspicious and kept an eye on the father and son.
Michael Wright was seen fiddling with the waistband of his pants and his son mouthed to him: "Not yet."
The father pulled out three white packages and shook hands with Kurt Wright.
Prison staff immediately intervened in an attempt to retrieve them," said Mr Brook.
There was a struggle and 36 tablets of Buprenorphine, a painkiller, fell to the floor and were collected by staff.
Some were whole tablets, others were broken into fragments. They had been posted to the father's home.
Kurt Wright claimed that he had been threatened inside prison for a drug debt.
He had convictions for 42 previous offences, including possessing cocaine in 2013 and 2014, assault and harassment.
Michael Wright had convictions for 34 previous offences, but nothing for drugs, and had served prison sentences.
Kevin Blount, mitigating, said that there was a "degree of coercion" on Kurt Wright over a drug debt.
"He was told that he was at risk," said Mr Blount.
"Out of fear, he persuaded his father to continue with what his father was also under pressure to do."
Pressure was put on the father by others.
Kurt Wright was released from prison in January but, after only a few days, was recalled to custody until May next year.
Mark Savage, mitigating, said that Michael Wright acted out of "misplaced loyalty and very deep love for his son" but there was no direct benefit to him.
"As a result of his history, he did not feel that he could have gone to the police," said Mr Savage.
"There was a lack of trust. His fear was for his son, Kurt. He is under no illusions that taking drugs into prisons is a serious matter."
Judge David Tremberg told the pair: "Each of you has had for many years pro-criminal attitudes and rather than solving matters by legal means, all too often you are too quick to resort to crime to do so."
He told Michael Wright: "You would rather sort things out your way than trust the police to do them."
Drugs in prison were bad for good order and governance and were "highly prized" and highly sought and fought over, causing disorder.
Kurt Wright was under pressure to pay a drug debt and, rather than bring the matter to the attention of the authorities, who could have "nipped this in the bud", he involved his father in smuggling in drugs.
"You were caught red-handed in this operation," said Judge Tremberg.
"You involved your father by pressure, albeit under pressure yourself."
Kurt Wright was jailed for six months.
Michael Wright was given a three-month suspended prison sentence, 12 days' rehabilitation and a 28-day 6.30am to 8.30pm curfew.
