A PRISONER already serving a 10-year sentence has had months added to his time behind bars for having a mobile phone in his cell.

Danny Sole appeared at Oxford Crown Court yesterday after pleading guilty to one count of possessing a mobile phone at HMP Bullingdon without permission.

Prosecutor Robert Lindsay, told the court on November 17, 2018, at approximately 1.30pm a dog handler found the phone, two chargers and an EE SIM card during an ‘intelligence led’ search of Sole’s cell.

Mr Lindsay said the back of a music speaker was removed and the contraband found inside.

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Beverley Da Costa, in mitigation, said Sole’s partner had just given birth to their child and he was only messaging her about their relationship and new son. She said: “He wanted to be contactable if she needed him.”

The barrister added he was ‘very remorseful’ about the incident and was working at ‘rebuilding himself’ while in prison. Ms Da Costa also said after he admitted the offence he had been placed on reduced privileges for a month at Bullingdon.

Judge Peter Ross, sentencing Sole, noted the 'lengthy' sentence he was already serving for aggravated burglary and said mobile phones in prisons had a ‘corrosive, damaging effect’ explaining: “They allow for bullying, they allow for the continuation of criminal activity and they can lead to interference with the cause of justice.”

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He said this was why he was imposing a custodial sentence.

Sole was sentenced to eight months in prison to be served consecutively to his current 10-year term.

Judge Ross added if there was independent evidence Bullingdon had taken the ‘unusual’ step of punishing him while at the prison his sentence for the offence would be reduced to reflect that.

A forfeiture order for all the items seized was also imposed.