Chorley mum tried to bring prohibited items into jail where her son is serving time

Carol Gibbons, 41, of Briary Court, Clayton Brook, Chorley, was searched by staff as she tried to visit her son at HMP Doncaster.

Prosecuting Stephen Parker said she had travelled from her home to Marshgate prison to visit son Jason McCorcoran last February and was taken into a side room when staff found she had items on her.

He said: " Down the front of her trousers was a cling film wrapped plastic package, which she handed to a prison officer.

"It contained two mobile phones, a SIM card, and also heroin, cannabis bush and eight tablets of Alprazolam , a class C drug."

Gibbons appeared by video link from HMP Styal and asked staff for a drink of water before proceedings began.

She previously pleaded guilty to five counts of conveying articles into a prison on the basis that she was being pressurised and had received threatening messages, and claimed her son was being bullied by other inmates.

Defence barrister Rachel White told the court Gibbons had expressed "disgust" at her conduct, and was vulnerable due to having mental health difficulties and a drug addiction since the age of 20.

Miss Gibbons began to cry as she continued: "She found herself alone and targeted by sophisticated people with criminal tendencies who befriended and took advantage of her.

" In effect she was cuckooed within her own premises and her prescription medication was taken from her which keeps her mentally stable."

She added she was now "perceived to be a grass" and had been subjected to more threats.

The court was told she had made complaints to the police after her arrest for these matters, relating to burglary and damage at her home address, but was unwilling to provide formal written statements.

Judge Richard Gioserano agreed to sentence her on her basis of plea, but adjourned the hearing for some inquiries to be made about her address.

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