Far-right fanatic handed extra jail sentence after birthday card prison drug-smuggle ploy

Conrad Howarth was jailed earlier this year but was returned to court this week to answer a charge of conveying illegal drugs into HMP New Hall three years ago.

Prosecutor Holly Clegg told Leeds Crown Court that an officer at the Flockton jail intercepted a birthday card sent to a female prisoner in March 2019 as part of a routine correspondence check.

The card had a balloon badge attached, and hidden behind it was a wrap of crack cocaine.

The card contained Howarth’s fingerprints, and after being arrested he admitted writing the card to his partner, but said a friend posted it.

The delays in the case came about after Howarth continued to deny the offence, and was due to stand trial.

The 42-year-old finally admitted his guilt this year.

He appeared in court this week via videolink from HMP HIndley in Lancashire.

His barrister, Dan Gaskell said: “There’s little mitigation, but there’s an element of emotional ties to the recipient of the drugs.

"It was for her personal use.”

Judge Neil Clark told Howarth: “Drugs in prison lead to problems such as bullying and use as illicit currency.

"It was done out of loyalty to your partner and not for profit.”

He jailed him for 12 months, to run consecutively to the four-and-a-half years he received in February at Manchester Crown Court for possessing far-right material, including a “terrorism handbook”.

Howarth, who is from Nelson in Lancashire, has 24 previous convictions for 58 offences.