A WOMAN from Poole has avoided going behind bars for her part in a conspiracy with a prison officer and serving inmate to smuggle steroids and mobile phones into a jail.

Stephanie Monica Burt, aged 30, pleaded guilty to two charges of conspiring to convey prohibited articles into HMP Winchester.

Her co-defendants Christopher Harman, 36, and Liam Currell, 31, both also pleaded guilty to two offences of conspiracy to convey prohibited items into the prison after they were caught as part of a police investigation.

The quantity of mobile phones and steroids found after repeated cell searches raised the suspicion that they must have been brought into the prison by an individual.

After an investigation, it was discovered that serving prisoner Currell had arranged with Burt that she would source mobile phones and steroids, which she then gave to prison officer Harman to smuggle into the prison when he was working on duty.

Bournemouth Echo:

Harman, of Alton, delivered the items to Currell, who went on to sell them to other prisoners for use in the prison.

Harman, having abused the trust afforded to him as a prison officer, was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment.

Currell was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment, which he will serve consecutively to the jail term of four years which he is already serving for unrelated offences.

Burt, of Stanley Green Road, Poole, received a 16-month suspended sentence, with a requirement to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days and 200 hours unpaid work.

Tracy Harris, CPS Wessex senior Crown prosecutor, said: “The police found receipts for the purchase of mobile phones when they searched Burt’s home, as well as steroids and related paraphernalia in both her property and Harman’s home.

“This evidence, pieced together with extensive mobile phone analysis and CCTV, made it clear that these three were responsible for the items entering the prison environment and secured their guilty pleas in the face of the overwhelming evidence against them.

“It is damaging to public confidence when a prison officer, or any other public servant, commits a criminal offence. The CPS ensures that all offenders are prosecuted and brought to justice, whenever our legal test is met.”

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