A GREENOCK inmate has been jailed after he admitted being in possession of a mobile phone while in prison.

Gregory McAulay was charged with having a personal communications device at HMP Greenock on November 20 last year.

The 40-year-old appeared at Greenock Sheriff Court on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to the offence.

The court heard that the phone was found after prison officers returned McAulay to his cell at around 3:30pm.

Fiscal depute Joanne Gilmour said: “Before allowing him to enter the cell, it was protocol to conduct a search.

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“They found a black Nokia phone with no back casing under the accused’s bed sheets.

“The mobile phone was seized.

“In December, officers attended and cautioned and charged the accused.”

Defence solicitor Aidan Gallagher said his client has been in custody since 2015, having been released for a ‘short while’ between September 2022 and April 2023.

He explained that McAulay lost his position as a ‘passman’ at the prison - and the freedoms which go with it – as a result of the incident.

(Image: Newsquest)

Mr Gallagher told the court: “While he was occupied as a passman, it came in to his possession from another part of the prison.

"He took it and placed it in his cell.

Mr Gallagher said McAulay has been using his time in prison 'usefully' by studying through the Open University.

He added: “He has regained his position as a passman as a result of demonstrating good behaviour whilst in the prison environment.”

Sheriff Colin Pettigrew told McAulay: “The use of mobile phones in prison is well known.

“However, you came into possession of it and I do acknowledge that you haven’t wasted any police time.”

Sheriff Pettigrew handed McAulay a sentence of eight months for the offence.