Mother, 37, caught trying to smuggle £1,400 of Spice into prison inside her bra is spared jail after claiming her teenage daughter suffers from ‘separation anxiety’

• Cara James, 37, was caught trying to smuggle Spice into prison inside her bra
• But she was spared jail because her ‘troubled’ teenager has separation anxiety 

A mother caught trying to smuggle £1,400 worth of the synthetic drug spice into prison for her boyfriend has been spared jail after claiming her teenage daughter suffers from ‘separation anxiety’.

Cara James, 37, faced up to 10 years behind bars after she was found carrying 14 sheets of A4 paper, laced with the so-called ‘Zombie drug’ inside her bra when she attended Hindley jail near Wigan, Greater Manchester.

The synthetic drugs, which have been blamed for a rise in deaths among male prisoners, were for James’ partner who was behind bars for assault. Each sheet of paper would have fetched £100 each on the prison black market.

At Bolton Crown Court she admitted attempting to bring a Category A prohibited item into prison and possession of a Class B drug.

But she was given eight months jail suspended for two years after telling the court how her 15-year-old daughter cannot bear to be without her for periods longer than a few hours – and gets so badly affected she is sometimes unable to complete a full day in school.

The synthetic drugs were for James’ partner who was behind bars for assault

Cara James, 37, faced up to ten years behind bars after she was found carrying 14 sheets of A4 paper, laced with the so-called ‘Zombie drug’ inside her bra when she attended Hindley jail

HMP Hindley, a category C jail near Wigan which holds just under 600 inmates

The court heard that James, from Breightmet, Bolton, Greater Manchester, was already wanted by police after a warrant was issued for her arrest when she failed to appear in court for an unrelated matter.

The court was told that the incident occured on September 13 last year. James’ boyfriend – who wasn’t named – asked her to return his drugs to him.

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James’ defence counsel said her boyfriend had previously escaped from jail and left the drugs at her house.

The prison – HMP Hindley – has previously been named as Britain’s worst jail by watchdogs in a report.

He then contacted her, ‘begging’ her to return the drugs and she visited him in prison with the Spice out of a ‘misguided sense of loyalty’, the court heard. 

Edmund Potts, prosecuting, said: ‘She wanted on a warrant over an unrelated matter, police were informed of her presence and she was arrested. 

‘Whilst they were waiting for a van to arrive to collect her the defendant admitted she had something concealed in her bra. She was taken to custody in Wigan where officers found 14 sheets of A4 paper, containing Spice.

‘Its estimated value within the prison is £100 per sheet, so it is a total of £1,400. The defendant was interviewed under caution with a solicitor.

‘She accepted responsibility for the offence but answered no comment as to the reason behind the offence.’

The court heard that James, from Breightmet, Greater Manchester, was already wanted by police after a warrant was issued when she failed to appear in court for an unrelated matter

Just one month after her arrest, James was given a community order for a benefits scam. She has since ended her relationship with her boyfriend – but the court heard he took his own life

Just one month after her arrest, James was given a community order for a benefits scam. She has since ended her relationship with her boyfriend – but the court heard he subsequently took his own life after the split.

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In mitigation for James, defence counsel Miss Niamh McGinty said: ‘This is not a typical case of smuggling drugs into a prison as Miss James was not receiving any financial benefit whatsoever.

‘Her romantic relationships throughout her life have been characterised by domestic violence and drug use and it was no different in this case as on this occasion she was visiting her partner had been sent to prison for assault.

‘Prior to this offending this particular man had previously escaped from Thorn Cross open prison in Warrington and he arrived at Miss James house. 

‘He was subsequently picked up police and taken to Hindley but he left behind a bag at her property which contained the paper already soaked in Spice.

‘The partner then contacted Miss James from prison essentially begging and pleading with her to bring the paper in for him. Reluctantly and out of a misguided sense of loyalty to him, she visited him – and brought the paper with her.

‘She didn’t actually make it into the prison itself and she actually volunteered the drugs immediately to the police upon her arrest and said: ‘I’ve got something in my bra.’ 

‘It was a one off incident and she maintains she was not visiting her boyfriend regularly. This was essentially him pressuring her into bringing in the drugs.

In mitigation for James, defence counsel Miss Niamh McGinty said: ‘This is not a typical case of smuggling drugs into a prison as Miss James was not receiving any financial benefit’

James was ordered to complete rehabilitation days and  a 12-month alcohol treatment order

‘The partner was later released but she ended the relationship and put an end to the toxicity once and for all. 

‘She now recognises she was manipulated by him only to take the drugs into the prison and was also manipulated by him to stay in a relationship.’

Miss McGinty added: ‘Miss James and her 15-year-old daughter share an extremely close bond and the daughter is described as having separation anxiety to the point where she struggles to go to school for a full day without seeing or communication with her mother.

‘The daughter is extremely distressed at the prospect of her sole carer going to prison and significant harm would come to her if that were to come to pass. 

READ MORE – Children separated from their parents suffer permanent damage to their physical and mental health, top health officials warn 

‘Miss James’ own mum and sister lend their support and sympathy to her – but due to their own personal circumstances, they are not in a position to take on the caring responsibilities for her daughter who is quite a troubled young girl.

‘Miss James is asking the court to grant her a level of mercy.’

James was ordered to complete 30 rehabilitation days and complete a 12 month alcohol treatment order.

Recorder Philip Grundy told her: ‘It is readily apparent and clear to me your daughter has many challenges and it is also readily apparent you have challenges yourself.

‘Whilst the custody threshold has been passed I remind myself about this partner of yours at the time and that you were part and parcel of a violent relationship. 

‘He escaped from another prison and brought this bag of Spice to your home and urged you to bring it to him when he was sent back to jail.

‘It is apparent when he asked you do something you usually did exactly as he told you – and that is exactly what you did in this case. 

‘Drugs in prison are a significant issue for the prison service, put the prison offices at risk and the currency within a prison for this type of drug is significant.

‘When I came into court this morning, nothing was going to save you from going to jail but your counsel has persuaded to pull back from locking you up. Don’t let me down.’

According to the NHS, so-called ‘Separation Anxiety’ is a normal stage of development for infants and toddlers but most children outgrow it by the age of three.

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