An Ayrshire prisoner has been jailed for 10 months after officers found an improvised weapon with three blades in his cell at HMP Kilmarnock.
Kyle Fellowes, aged 23, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon while held at the Bowhouse prison. The case was heard at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week, where Sheriff Sheena Fraser imposed the custodial sentence.
Weapon discovered during cell search
The weapon was found on the morning of April 18, when prison officers searched Fellowes’ cell. Prosecutor Lindzi Bayne told the court that the item had three blades attached and was hidden inside a locked safe in the cell occupied by Fellowes.
No other illicit items were found during the search. The discovery was reported to Police Scotland.
When prison staff uncovered the weapon, Fellowes said: “I told you I need out of this jail”.
Defence cited fears for prisoner’s safety
Defending solicitor Kevin Corr told the court that Fellowes had been remanded in custody in March in connection with separate matters calling at Ayr Sheriff Court. A not guilty plea in that case was accepted last week.
Mr Corr said his client understood that possessing a weapon was unacceptable and acknowledged the impact such items had on prison staff and the management of jails. He also said Fellowes had previously been assaulted while in HMP Kilmarnock and believed he had enemies in the hall where he was being held.
The defence told the court that Fellowes had sought an urgent transfer from the prison and maintained that the weapon had been obtained for his own protection. Mr Corr accepted that a prison sentence was inevitable, but asked Sheriff Fraser to consider Fellowes’ age and the early stage at which he had entered his guilty plea.
“He has fears for his own safety and this was effectively for his own protection. It’s why he procured this item.”
Previous weapons convictions highlighted
Sentencing Fellowes, Sheriff Fraser said that an article of this kind created difficulties for prison management and staff and posed a danger to inmates. She said the court took a dim view of the offence.
The sheriff also highlighted that Fellowes had seven previous convictions for possessing weapons before ordering him to spend 10 months in prison.
The case concerns events inside HMP Kilmarnock, while the separate proceedings referred to in court had been due to call at Ayr Sheriff Court. The source report did not provide further details about those separate matters or say whether Fellowes’ sentence would be served at HMP Kilmarnock.
