Prisoner Slapped with Extra Jail Time After Stash of Knives and Phones Found at HMP Swaleside
Martin McCartney Caught Red-Handed
Martin McCartney’s run of bad luck got worse. During a routine cell search at HMP Swaleside, prison officers discovered seven homemade knives, including one rigged with three razor blades, plus a lock knife and six mobile phones. The 37-year-old denied all charges but was found guilty after a Maidstone Crown Court trial.
Heavy Sentence Stacked On
On 16 June 2021, McCartney was handed a hefty four-and-a-half-year sentence, to run consecutively on top of his existing ten-year stretch for serious assault and false imprisonment in 2015. The weapons and phones were seized back in February 2019 after officers asked McCartney about banned items. He lied, telling them he had none.
Police Praise Prison Staff Vigilance
“McCartney’s actions represented a serious threat to prison security,” said Detective Constable Karen Hearn. “Thanks to prison officers’ vigilance, these weapons were stopped before they could be used against another inmate. Despite already serving time for a serious offence, he’s shown little sign of change. This new sentence reflects that.”
The case highlights ongoing challenges in keeping prisons safe from hidden weapons and mobile phones smuggled in by inmates.
