A MAN caught trying to smuggle drugs into prison for his friend was yesterday locked up himself.

Neil Pallister was jailed for four months after he admitted possessing Class C drugs with intent to supply.

Pallister believed his addict pal might need the heroin replacement pills to help him beat his cravings.

The 38-year-old - a prison regular himself - knew how hard it was to cope once behind bars, a court heard.

Pallister was caught after being spotted acting suspiciously at Holme House Prison, Stockton, on October 25.

He dropped a package containing white tablets when he realised he was being watched, said Harvey Murray, prosecuting.

Teesside Crown Court heard how analysis of the packet showed it contained five Subutex tablets.

Pallister, who has 86 previous offences on his record, had a 100-a-day amphetamine habit at one time.

His barrister, Nigel Soppitt, said Pallister has been addicted to various drugs for two decades.

Mr Soppitt said his client was never asked to take the tablets into the jail, but thought he was doing his friend a favour.

"It was a fairly simple offence," he said. "Those trained to observe, observed him very easily, and quickly caught him red-handed.

"His friend did not ask for it but he felt sorry for him and he thought the drugs would be used for therapeutic reasons."

Pallister, of High Street, Redcar, east Cleveland, was on licence from jail for drugs offences when he was caught.

Judge Peter Armstrong told him: "You know how serious taking drugs into prison is. You took a risk to try to help somebody, but it is something the court cannot tolerate."

Mr Soppitt said since being recalled to prison for reaching his licence, Pallister has been given an old cleaning job.

"Sadly, he is well-known in prison and a trusted individual, and within weeks of going back he was given this trusted position," he said.

"If there was any hint or suspicion he was involved in drugs in prison, he would not have been given that job.

"He now realises he is too old to be coming before the courts and it is his aspiration to leave prison drug-free - as he is now - and find some sort of employment."

2:25pm Wednesday 21st May 2008

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