Inmate found drinking whisky in lambing shed in grounds of open prison near Boston

Mark Ryder was discovered in the outbuilding at North Sea Camp open jail just hours after he was reported missing in April this year.

Ryder had a half full bottle of whisky next to him and a mini-mobile phone was found in his sock, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

Phil Howes, prosecuting, said that the alcohol and phone were supplied to Ryder by a former fellow inmate Darren Guildford as part repayment for a debt that Guildford acquired while serving a sentence alongside Ryder.

Ryder had paid Guildford for an item while both were in prison but the item never reached Ryder as it was confiscated by the authorities leaving Guildford in debt to Ryder.

Guildford and his partner drove from their home in Leicestershire to the prison where they left the drink and phone at a pick-up point for Ryder to collect.

Mr Howes said "Ryder was transferred to North Sea Camp on 26 February this year and was discovered missing not having attended a roll call on the evening of 20 March.

"He was last seen going for a smoke outside a unit and there was nothing to explain his absence. Police were contacted and his name was circulated.

"The police search was stopped at 4.41am because the defendant has been found in a lambing shed drinking. It was within the prison but out of bounds for him."

Ryder claimed he had been out into the nearby town of Boston where he had bought the drink and taken tablets. He was arrested and when he was searched the mobile phone was found inside a sock.

Mr Howes said that subsequent investigations revealed that the phone had been topped up in Leicester and had been in contact with Guildford's phone on more than 70 occasions.

Text messages referred to a drop-off on 20 March and evidence from ANPR cameras showed that on that day an Audi registered to Guildford's partner Michelle Bloxham was driven to Boston and had made an earlier journey six days previously.

Further investigations of Guildford's phone revealed that he sent a message to Bloxham asking her to get a small "jail phone" that he could pass on to Ryder.

Guildford and Bloxham later admitted their roles in getting the phone and alcohol to Ryder when they were interviewed by police.

Mark Ryder, 52, currently a serving prisoner at HMP Oakwood near Wolverhampton; Darren Guildford ,46, of Never Street, Harby, Melton Mowbray; and Michelle Bloxham, 46, of Boyers Orchard, Hasrby, Melton Mowbray, each admitted conspiracy to bring a prohibited item into prison between 11 and 20 March this year. Ryder also admitted possession of a banned item in prison.

Ryder was jailed for 14 months and Guildford for 10 months. Bloxham was given an eight month jail sentence suspended for 18 months with 150 hours of unpaid work.

Neil Sands, for Ryder, said he was unhappy at the accommodation in North Sea Camp where he found himself living in a dormitory alongside sex offenders.

He told the court that after Ryder was discovered he lied to police about escaping in a bid to protect Guildford and Bloxham.

Helen Johnson, for Guildford, said he had done his best to change his life since being released from a nine year sentence imposed for drug offences. She said he subsequently set up a mobile fish and chip shop business with Bloxham and had been working hard.

Rebecca Barrowcliffe, for Bloxham, said she had no previous convictions and had been acting under direction from Guildford.

She urged that Bloxham should be spared an immediate jail sentence due to the effect it would have on her children.