Prison officer jailed over steroid smuggling plot

Ex-Royal Marine, Matthew Taylor was jailed for one year and nine months for the 'terrible breach of trust'.

The 23-year-old, from Kestrel Court, Burntwood, was to be 'paid handsomely' for bringing a package of illicit steroids into the prison near Wolverhampton.

He had linked up with 'career criminal' Mark Clarke in the wing of the jail he was supervising, using Clarke's partner Donna Duffus on the outside.

The plan never materialised – because Taylor got cold feet or wanted more money – but his phone calls to Duffus had already been monitored and recorded, said Miss Balvinder Bhatti, prosecuting, at Stafford Crown Court.

Taylor admitted conspiracy to supply a prohibited article and misconduct in public office.

Judge Jonathan Gosling told him: "This was a terrible breach of trust. You were actually required to report illegal activity.

"You took part in the very thing the prison authorities were trying to combat – worse than that, you did it for money."

Clarke, 47, of Bridgewater Close, Walsall Wood, was jailed for 30 months.

He admitted the conspiracy and a separate offence of attempted burglary. His partner Duffus, 39, of the same address was given a 12-month community order.

Miss Bhatti said the plot began to take shape with a phone call from Clarke to Duffus, which was facilitated by Taylor, in September 2013.

The officer had 'befriended' Clarke because of their shared interests, including the gym.

Taylor contacted Duffus on six occasions and she later admitted she had bought steroids over the internet on behalf of her partner.

Taylor taken in one package of contraband containing creatine – and been paid £300.

The court heard that Clarke, who once had an £80-a-day heroin habit had 28 convictions for a total of 94 previous offences, mainly for theft and burglary, and was in Oakwood serving a 42-month sentence at the time of the conspiracy.

Mr Neil Gerrity, for Taylor, said his client was 20 when he was recruited by G4S.

"Here we have a naive young man, dealing with people more than twice his age," he said. "There were long periods when he was on his own on the wing."

Mr David Swinnerton, for Clarke, said: "He's been a career criminal and institutionalised."

Clarke had been released from jail in February this year and was doing well until October, when he committed the attempted burglary.