A PRISON officer has been jailed for smuggling drugs and phones for an inmate he admired. 

Christopher Harman was sentenced 16 months for taking steroids and mobile phones into Winchester Prison.

The items were smuggled in for inmate Liam Currell, who was given a ten-month extension to the sentence he is currently serving. 

Stephanie Burt was given a 16-month suspended sentence for helping Harman take the phones into the prison, for Currell to sell on.

All three pleaded guilty to the charges before the sentencing on Monday at Winchester Crown Court.

Robin Sellers, prosecuting, told the court that Currell was selling the phones to fellow inmates for £1,500 each. 

Currell and Burt were in a relationship at the time, between May 1 and August 31 2021.

Mr Sellers said: “Ms Burt secured the phones and the steroids. Mr Harman took them onto the wings of the prison and Mr Currell then sold them on to other prisoners.”

Mr Sellers estimated that at least ten phones had been smuggled in.

James Gray, mitigating for Harman, said: “This is a man of some muscular stature, but also a pathetically weak man. He was flattered by the interest shown to him by Mr Currell and Ms Burt. He was identified as the weak link in the prison system.

“He was influenced by Mr Currell, he admired him. He was a participant in this, he was drawn into it. He is full of remorse."

The court heard that Harman had been taking steroids in order to replicate Currell's muscles. 

Lucie Taylor, mitigating for Burt, said: “Ms Burt was in a romantic relationship with Mr Currell. The original plan had been to bring designer clothes and jewellery into the prison. She decided to go along with it, but it wasn't her idea to do this.”

Richard Martin, mitigating for Currell, said: “He had been a personal trainer since the age of 18. He had become addicted to steroids. He said he wanted to help fellow prisoners to contact loved ones. It was a response to the difficult conditions.”

Sentencing, Judge Paul Dugdale said: “Prison is a difficult place, it's an odd environment. A prison relies on co-operation for everything to run smoothly. Phones in prison are a real problem.”

Harman, 36, of Pentons Close, Holybourne, near Alton, was sentenced to 16 months in prison.

Currell, 31, whose address was given as HMP Guys Marsh, was handed a ten-month extension to his current sentence.

Burt, 30, of Stanley Green Road, Poole, was given a 16-month sentence, suspended for two years. She must also complete 200 hours of unpaid work and will have to undertake 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.

Tracy Harris, CPS Wessex Senior Crown Prosecutor, said: “The police found receipts for the purchase of mobile phones when they searched Burt’s home, as well as steroids and related paraphernalia in both her property and Harman’s home.

“This evidence, pieced together with extensive mobile phone analysis and CCTV, made it clear that these three were responsible for the items entering the prison environment and secured their guilty pleas in the face of the overwhelming evidence against them.

“It is damaging to public confidence when a prison officer, or any other public servant, commits a criminal offence. The CPS ensures that all offenders are prosecuted and brought to justice, whenever our legal test is met.”