AN INMATE caught with thousands of pounds worth of drugs and phones in prison has been jailed for 32 months.

Adam Hart was serving seven years in Erlestoke when he fielded a package which had been thrown over the wall.

When the 32-year-old's cell was searched a couple of days later he was also found to have another phone hidden there.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how he was caught with the contraband on June 1 last year.

"He was seen running toward the perimeter fence and pick up some packages that had obviously been thrown over the side or put there for him to pick up," she said.

"It was inside these packages all these items for him to pick up: one containing the drugs and the other containing the phones."

In one the authorities found eight smart phones and seven miniature phones along with chargers.

In another was a series of drugs including cannabis, former legal high Spice, heroin substitute Subutex, and other substances along with razors and syringes.

When he was questioned he said that he had been asked to collect the packages as he had a debt to repay.

He accepted that he knew in prison Subutex sold at £5 for a fraction of a tablet, £200 for a small phone and £450 for a smart phone.

Hart, formerly of Plymouth, pleaded guilty to two counts of conveying a prohibited article into prison and one of possessing ad device capable of transmitting images.

He is currently serving seven years for two knifepoint robberies on a convenience store in his home city.

Tony Bignall, defending, said his client was aware what was coming to him as he was still serving the jail term imposed in April 2014.

At the time of the robberies he said he had a severe heroin habit and felt the jail term was the best thing for him.

But during his time inside he had run up debts of £5,000 and was put under pressure to do what he did.

Jailing him Judge Tim Mousley QC said "In relative terms this was a very large quantity of all types of commodity that would have constituted valuable currency within the prison and in this case currency of very significant value.

"In addition some of the items you were taking in to the prison had the potential to undermine good order within the prison.

"You were aware of the very significant value of what you were taking in to prison: to get an indication of that you well me that you had been told it would pay off a debt of £5,000."