Freed offender back behind bars over SIM card found hidden in trainer during previous sentence at a Doncaster prison

Sheffield Crown Court heard on January 6 how Arran Egan, aged 36, had been serving a custodial sentence at Lindholme Prison, at Hatfield Woodhouse, Doncaster, when prison officers found he had a mobile phone SIM card concealed in a trainer.

Matthew Burdon prosecuting, said: “The defendant was serving a custodial sentence at HMP Lindholme and was an occupant of a single occupancy cell and prison officers conducted a search of the cell and they found within the cell a SIM card concealed under the sole of a training shoe.

“He originally said the trainers had not belonged to him and he said he had shared cells in the past and others had access to his trainers and he was surprised.

“He acknowledged that he was previously caught with mobile telephones and he did not know if it was a leftover device from those previous sentences.”

However, Egan, of Sugarwell Road, near Meanwood, Leeds, who has previous convictions and has previously received custody for possessing prohibited items in prison, pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited article, namely the SIM card, after it was found on July 24, 2020.

Stuart Field, defending, said Egan was released from prison in February, 2021, and he has not been in any trouble since and given the delays in bringing this latest matter to court he asked whether a suspended prison sentence could be considered.

Mr Field added: “He is living with his partner and her three children and they very much regard him as a father figure and there is a child on the way and Mr Egan has two children.”

He also argued Egan had the SIM card to maintain contact with family and it had not been used for any of the more nefarious purposes associated with such devices in prisons.

Recorder Kate Batty who sentenced Egan to six months of custody told him: “I can only pass an immediate custodial sentence today and the reason for that is the mischief caused by mobile phones and SIM cards going around prison.”