An eagle-eyed guard spotted Anthony Farrell passing heroin and crack cocaine to prison inmate Christopher Fleming
Two men attempted to smuggle drugs into prison by shaking hands but were caught by an eagle-eyed guard. Anthony Farrell tried to sneak heroin and crack into Walton prison while paying a visit to inmate Christopher Fleming.
He has now been handed jail sentences totalling more than 27 years since the turn of the millennium. His visitor was meanwhile found with further illicit substances and hundreds of pounds in cash stashed in his sock and bag.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Wednesday, that Fleming was serving an eight-year sentence for two counts of robbery, imposed in 2018, at HMP Liverpool when he was visited by Farrell on the afternoon of September 13 last year. But an officer observing their interactions on CCTV noticed the latter removing his right hand from his pocket as he first approached the prisoner in the visiting hall.
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Suzanne Payne, prosecuting, described how the two men then shook hands, after which Fleming was seen with a package sticking out of his hand. The 40-year-old, of no fixed address, then placed this package into his own pocket.
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When confronted by guards, he seemingly attempted to swallow the contraband as he was restrained on the floor. A quantity of crack cocaine with a street value of up to £497 and heroin worth as much as £424 were however seized from him.
Farrell, of Greenwood Close in Timperley, Greater Manchester, was also searched and found to have snap bags of cannabis and a white powder in his sock. A bag in his possession meanwhile contained two further wraps of heroin worth around £20, £500 in cash, a mobile phone, a smart watch and cling film.
The 55-year-old made no comment under interview, although Fleming told detectives that he had known his co-defendant since 2011 but was “shocked when he was passed something” and “didn’t know what it was”. He added that Farrell had told him following the handshake: “Just take it and give it to John.”
Fleming has a total of 30 previous convictions for 75 offences, including conveying a prohibited article into a prison and a seven-year sentence for three robberies in 2011. Farrell’s criminal record meanwhile shows 40 entries for 77 offences, with entries for supplying cannabis in 1996 as well as fraud and burglary.
Graham Rishton said on his behalf: “The reality is that this is a rather sorry situation for him to be in. Of course, he has got a very poor record.
“It is a record which is consistent with what has been a central issue for him in his life, which has blighted his adult life for decades, and that is his difficulties with class A drugs. Notwithstanding his long term issues, he is obviously capable of sorting himself out.
“He has had long periods of not troubling these courts and he has previously engaged and made real progress in his life. He is also someone who lacks fortitude or the strength of character to resist those temptations when things are not going so well for him, and so he finds himself here today.
“He does regret his involvement in this. Perhaps his biggest regret is the impact his imprisonment is going to have on others. His mother is 82 years old. She has recently been hospitalised after suffering a stroke.”
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Andrew Alty, defending Fleming, meanwhile told the court that his client had experienced issues with drugs and been “placed under pressure”, adding: “His record is also one which takes a while to go through. I actually totted up how long and how many prison sentence he has had since 2000. The courts have dished out 24 years and four months worth of prison.
“He could have, if he had not committed this offence, potentially been released this year. Because of this offence, he is required to serve the full term of that eight years.
“He has lost his sister while he has been in custody. His mother is 70. She suffers from various ailments and is quite ill now and lives on her own.”
Farrell, who appeared in court via video link to HMP Liverpool, admitted two charges of conveying a prohibited article into a prison, being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine and possession of cannabis. Fleming, appearing remotely from HMP Berwyn, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and cocaine.
Both were jailed for three years each. Sentencing, Recorder Andrew Vinson told Fleming: “These drugs could not have found their way into prison and been distributed without you.”
The judge meanwhile said to Farrell: “You are something more than a courier. You must have known what you were doing and what would have happened once you had taken these drugs into the prison. The supply of illegal drugs spreads misery. To do so in prison promotes disorder and bullying. They are an even greater evil than they are in general society.”
