Extra jail time for inmate who hid drugs in cell

Luke Nelson hid drugs and a mobile phone in his cell while he was serving a 10-year sentence at Parc Prison

A prisoner who hid drugs and a mobile phone in his cell has been sentenced to a further six months behind bars.

Luke Nelson, 31, from Adamsdown in Cardiff, was serving a 10-year sentence at HMP Parc in Bridgend when his cell was searched on 1 October 2022.

Cardiff Magistrates' Court heard that 22 tablets of buprenorphine were found and a mobile phone was hidden in a sock.

The prison has been under fire recently after 10 inmates died and three prisoners were taking to hospital following disorder.

Nelson pleaded guilty to possession of a Class C drug and using a mobile phone during his time at the prison.

The court heard how, on 22 December, another mobile phone was found dismantled and hidden in a speaker in his cell and he had been using it to send messages.

Nelson was released from HMP Parc in November 2023 after serving half his sentence for dealing Class A drugs.

He was recalled in March after being charged with possession of a bladed article and is now at HMP Swaleside in Kent.

Tom Trobe, defending, said Nelson only used the phone to contact family and did not own either mobile, but agreed to hide them to pay off a drug debt.

He added that buprenorphine was "commonly used drug to help people come off an addiction to heroin".