Inmates given longer sentences for prison phone and perverting justice

Two prisoners received extended sentences after being found to have concealed a mobile phone and subsequently lied about its possession within the correctional facility. Teesside Crown Court was informed that the mobile device was discovered concealed within the base of a desk fan located in Joseph Millward’s cell at HMP Holme House in Stockton. The discovery occurred after a prison officer detected the sound of it ringing. The court heard that as Millward, aged 31, was being escorted for interrogation, he called out to Stephen McCabe, 38, offering him £1,000 to claim ownership of the fan, an offer McCabe subsequently accepted. Both individuals confessed to charges of intending to pervert the course of justice. Millward additionally entered a guilty plea for the offense of possessing a mobile phone while incarcerated. Millward received a sentence of 10 months’ imprisonment, while McCabe was sentenced to four months. Prosecutor Anthony Pettengell stated that Millward, identified as a semi-professional boxer, had previously been sentenced to five years and two months in prison for his involvement in a shooting incident in South Tyneside in 2021. The court was informed that on the evening of June 18, 2023, a prison officer detected the distinct sound of a mobile phone ringing emanating from within Millward’s cell. Mr Pettengell confirmed that a subsequent search of his cell led to the discovery of a small black mobile phone and its charger, concealed within a fan. Millward asserted that he had borrowed the fan from another inmate and was unaware of the phone’s presence, subsequently instructing McCabe to confess ownership of the fan. Evidence presented to the court included CCTV footage showing Millward bringing the fan into the prison upon his arrival in May 2022. The court heard that the phone contained several saved contact numbers associated with Millward’s family, in addition to one linked to McCabe. McCabe, who was incarcerated for offenses such as wounding, burglary, and robbery, informed officers that an inmate who had since been released had given him the fan, though he declined to identify the individual. McCabe asserted that he had discovered the phone but, finding it lacked a SIM card, he returned it and did not inform Millward about the device when he lent him the fan. Caroline Goodwin KC, speaking in mitigation for Millward, stated that he had been scheduled for release on license on September 30 of the current year but remained imprisoned with diminished privileges due to the mobile phone incident. The court was informed that McCabe’s scheduled release date was February 26 of the following year. Judge Richard Clews commented that mobile phones within prison settings constitute a “menace” and create “difficulty in keeping order,” further noting their status as a currency possessing “much enhanced value” internally. Readers can follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas may be sent to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Details regarding our approach to external linking are available.