Portsmouth man, 51, busted trying to slip drugs down girlfriend's trousers during prison visit

David Brown, 51, pulled out six Subutex tablets from his sock at the end of a visit to his girlfriend at HMP Downview in Surrey on June 8, 2019, before nonchalantly trying to slide them down her trousers.

But unable to execute the high-pressure transfer of pills, used as a treatment for heroin addicts, ‘anxious’ Brown instead frantically placed them into the prisoner’s hands as they embraced, Portsmouth Crown Court was told.

However, Brown was spotted by prison security before they rushed over and caught him red-handed.

‘At the end of the visit you pulled the tablets from your sock and tried to put them down the back of your partner’s trousers,’ recorder Hannah Willcocks said.

‘Because you were unable to do that, you put them into her hand when you were caught by prison officers. You said your partner needed the tablets but were not sure why.’

After being caught in the act, Brown declared he was ‘stupid’ and made full admissions to prison authorities and subsequently to police during his interview.

Daniel Reilly, defending, revealed how Brown, of Hewett Road, Hilsea, carried out the botched drug-transfer after growing increasingly ‘worried’ about the welfare of his girlfriend.

Brown, who first took drugs when he was eight before becoming a heroin addict at 16, had regularly made payments over three months to anonymous bank accounts ranging from £70 to £190 after receiving requests and threats against his girlfriend.

‘Mr Brown was worried after receiving anonymous texts speaking of harm she would come to,’ Mr Reilly said.

‘They were saying they would cut her in the face and put boiling water on her.

‘He had no money available and could no longer pay so he thought he would give her the tablets instead because that’s all he had to help her.

‘He wasn’t sure if the tablets were for her own addiction or because she was indebted.’

The lawyer said Brown even continued to make payments to anonymous bank accounts after the incident when he had money such was his concern for his partner.

Brown, who was ‘essentially a man of good character’ with only one driving conviction to his name, admitted a single charge of taking a prohibited article into prison.

Recorder Willcocks told him the offence was of ‘exceptional gravity’, before adding: ‘Taking drugs into prison is extremely serious.’

But after noting Brown’s ‘strong personal mitigation’ of having mental health difficulties, being remorseful and good prospects of rehabilitation, the defendant was spared jail. ‘Unusually I feel I can suspend it,’ the recorder said.

Brown was handed a six-week jail term suspended for 12 months, given 20 rehabilitation days and told to complete 80 hours of unpaid work.

SEE ALSO: Man threatened with air rifle

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

You can subscribe here for unlimited access to Portsmouth news online - as well as fewer adverts, access to our digital edition and mobile app.

Our trial offer starts at just £2 a month for the first two months.