A DAD with an ‘alarming’ criminal record tried to smuggle drugs in for an inmate at HMP Risley.

Mark Allen was in the visiting area when he tried to pass his friend - a prisoner – cannabis.

But he was caught on camera before he could do so and arrested.

The 54-year-old appeared before Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday for sentencing after pleading guilty to conveying a list A prohibited article into prison.

Here, prosecutor Paul Blasberry said that the offence took place in June last year.

Mr Blasberry said that while in the visiting area at Risley Prison, Allen’s hand was seen to move towards his trousers where he retrieved a package that he attempted to pass over to the inmate.

Allen, of Lees Street, Manchester, was caught in the act by cameras and subsequently detained where he was found with 15.8g of cannabis as well as a small amount of tobacco.

“He said the day earlier he had had a last-minute thought to be a good mate and take some cannabis and tobacco in,” Mr Blasberry said.

“He said he had not received any gifts or money for trying to pass the products to his friend.”

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Liverpool Crown Court heard how Allen has 14 previous convictions and has an ‘alarming record’ for offending in the United States.

Defending himself, Allen said: “Your honour, my past is when I was a kid in New York, I was clearly different.

“I am a family man, this whole scenario for me is embarrassing.

“The last thing I needed was this nonsense.

“To put my family through this is horrendous, your honour.

“Obviously I was not thinking how serious it was.”

Concluding, judge Robert Trevor-Jones said: “It is perhaps not the largest amount of cannabis on the street, but nevertheless in a prison establishment it is a very substantial amount indeed.

“You say you decided to be a good friend, it was a spontaneous thought or gesture on your part.

“But you are no stranger to the custodial setting.

“You would have known about drugs in prisons and about how serious they are.

“Clearly, as you say, you were in a lot of serious trouble in America as a young man.

“You have quite an alarming record.”

Before sending Allen to prison, judge Trevor-Jones added: “Drugs strike the very heart of a prison regime and its safety.”

Allen was jailed for eight months.