A HMP Berwyn inmate had an illicit mobile phone in his cell so he could check on the health of his father, a court heard.

Faisal Khan appeared before Mold Crown Court via video link on Wednesday morning.

The 31-year-old is currently serving a six-year sentence at the prison for firearms offences and dangerous driving, having been sentenced at Preston Crown Court in 2018.

Richard Edwards, prosecuting, explained Khan had admitted having possession of a mobile phone following a search of his cell in November last year.

Mr Edwards said at the time of the search, officers saw him put his hands under his bed as if hiding something.

They saw a charging wire coming from a laptop on the window ledge and discovered it was connected to a small mobile phone.

When interviewed, Khan claimed somebody else must have entered his room and put the device on charge.

But after its contents were download it was discovered there were several numbers which were also on his list of 'controlled numbers'.

This, Mr Edwards explained, is a list of contacts provided by inmates to the prison so they can use Berwyn's monitored phone system.

Reading a statement from the prison, he said: "The use of phones undermines the rehabilitative culture and is said to have a wider impact on the community. "Mobile phones enter [the prison] in various ways - they cause problems. "They can be used to continue criminal activity, to intimidate and to cause disruption."

He said the consequences can include prisoners getting into debt and being pressured into holding unauthorised articles, as well as leading to assaults and fear.

Mr Edwards said the device found in Khan's cell, which was not a smartphone, would have a value of about £500 in a prison environment.

John Mark Richards, defending, said: "The mobile did not contain any numbers which were not on his prison phone.

"That begs the question; why on earth was he using a mobile phone when he could have used the phone in his cell? "He said he can only use £10 per week on the prison phone, and that runs out quickly. "He said his use of the mobile phone was to check on his sick father.

"His father is quite old and when he was on the outside [Khan] was his carer. "Clearly what he should have done is spoken to his wing governor and explained.

"It is a shame he didn't use his common sense to communicate why he needed it."

Judge Rhys Rowlands told Khan: "It's clear from the evidence that the use of such phones is undoubtedly with a view to avoid legitimate monitoring." Khan received a four month custodial sentence, to be served consecutively to his current sentence, meaning his earliest release date has now been pushed back to accommodate the new sentence.