Authorities were suspicious as it was not the inmate's birthday

A man from Chiswick who sent a birthday card containing a package of heroin to a female prisoner according to a report on the Get Surrey web site.

He was caught out when authorities became suspicious as it was not the woman's birthday.

Paul Power, aged 51, of Devonshire Road, Chiswick, sent the card to Emma Windsor, his partner at the time, at HMP Bronzefield in Ashford on Christmas Eve 2014 but it was discovered by a prison officer checking the post, according to the newspaper. He saw a card addressed to the inmate even though it was not close to her birthday. When he opened the card he discovered heroin sealed in the card.

Power had initially denied the offence but changed his plea at his sentencing. According to Get Surrey his defence counsel claimed that his ex-partner had been using him and that he had moved away from using Class A drugs and committing more serious crimes to more recently being involved in drink related anti-social behaviour.

"He was orphaned at eight and brought up by his brothers. I’m sure you will appreciate it’s been a fairly hard knock life within his 51 years," his counsel said according to the report.

Power was given a sentence of 21 months in prison and ordered to pay a £100 victim surcharge.

January 6, 2016