Man Admits Smuggling Cannabis Into Prison

Appearing in Magistrates Court yesterday [Nov 15], Damon Darrell, 31, pleaded guilty to possessing 1.6 grams of cannabis in the Prison Farm in St Georges and to conveying an article into the prison against prison rules. This happened in November 2012.

The Crown Prosecutor told Senior Magistrate Archie Warner that Darrell was an inmate serving out a sentence at the Prison Farm and was on a day Work Release program.

Returning to the Farm at the end of the day, he was subjected to the standard search. Corrections Officers noticed something odd about his mouth, questioned him and proceeded to do an oral search. Darrell ran off further into the Prison where he was eventually caught and he gave up a small twist containing the cannabis.

The Magistrate heard that as a result of this escapade, Darrell had been taken off the Work Release program, sent back to maximum security at Westgate, and had to serve nine more months. The lawyer offered that any further action might be a form of double punishment.

The Senior Magistrate asked Crown Counsel if the file showed whether or not Darrell had already been formally punished for this action by the Prison Authorities. The Crown Prosecutor could not answer and the Magistrate adjourned the matter for Mention on 22nd November.

Darrell, who said that he had only been released twelve weeks ago, was granted $1,000 bail.

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