Gainsborough man was caught with £100,000 of drugs in prison cell

Mark Cutler was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment after more than 300 pieces of paper laced with ‘Spice’ were found stored between his mattress, during a search in March last year.

When put through a scanner, a synthetic cannabinoid was found laced into the paper, which had been disguised as legal paperwork.

The 32-year-old, of Morton Front, Gainsborough, admitted to prison staff that the paper was his.

He had since been released from prison but will now return, after being sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday, January 28.

Detective Inspector Dan Evans from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit’s Prison Intelligence team said: “The supply of this quantity of Class B drugs into HMP Lincoln with a prison value of more than £100,000 would have had a significant impact on the safety of prisoners and the good order and discipline of the prison.

“It is only right that this prisoner has been convicted for this offence.

“Debt and violence are sometimes unrecognised consequences of the illicit drug market in prison and the police must continue to work together with the prison service to disrupt such offenders.”

Gainsborough Inspector Gary Brockie said: “We continue to seek out and, where appropriate, act upon intelligence and information received.

"We have disrupted drug dealing activity in Gainsborough and we will continue to do so.

"We tend to find that the nature of cannabis cultivation is unsafe and poses serious concerns and danger, especially to those living nearby.

"If you suspect activity like this is taking place, please contact your neighbourhood policing team or report information anonymously through CrimeStoppers.”