A mum was caught on CCTV throwing tennis balls containing drugs and lollipops into Forest Bank prison. Amanda Baker, 36, was spotted by staff days earlier throwing other packages over the wall into the exercise yard.
The packages contained cannabis, tobacco, cigarette papers and sweets. When she was finally stopped in July 2020 by prison officers she tried to walk away, but began to cry and claimed her ex-partner, Kasim Ahmed, who was serving five years in HMP Forest Bank, had forced her to do it.
She pleaded guilty to offences of bringing list A and B articles into prison, and was today (July 15) jailed for 16 months.
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Philip Hall, prosecuting, told Manchester Crown Court that on June 24 2020, Baker was seen approaching the perimeter wall before throwing four to five parcels into the exercise yard. Within the parcels were socks, as well as 45 grams of cannabis with an estimated value of £4,500.
“There were also two small mobile phones, a smart phone, two SIM cards and a charging cable. The parcels also contained prohibited items including tobacco, cigarette papers, sweets and chocolate,” Mr Hall said.
She left the scene before she was able to be identified. The next day, June 26, she returned and was caught on CCTV throwing further packages over the wall. They contained cannabis, tobacco and cigarette papers.
Then on July 4, she came back for the third time where she threw 10 tennis balls over the wall with a dog ball thrower. “The tennis balls had been cut up and stuffed with items including 16.7 grams of cannabis, tobacco and lollipops,” Mr Hall added.
Officers searched her car, which was parked in the prison car park, and found a plastic bag filled with tobacco and a further dog ball thrower.
Following analysis of her phone, messages recovered showed that she had spoken to Ahmed who asked her to throw the items over. Mr Hall added that messages from Ahmed were ‘angry and emotionally abusive’.
There was also evidence that Baker had asked around about buying the drugs and tobacco in the days leading up to the offending.
She was said to have 23 previous convictions for 43 offences including violence and criminal damage.
Mitigating, Amanda Johnson said Baker was under Ahmed’s ‘thrall’ and had previously had difficulties with abusive men. She said she had mental health problems, including bipolar disorder, and was influenced by Ahmed.
“She is genuinely remorseful and she can look back and see how foolish she was,” Ms Johnson added.
Sentencing, Recorder MP Taylor said: “There can be mayhem when illegal drugs are used inside prison.
“People who might be tempted to take drugs into prison need to know that they will appear before the court, they will be in the dock and they are going to end up with a judge sending them to prison.”
Baker, of Walshaw Road, Bury, was jailed for 16 months.
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