A woman was caught trying to smuggle cannabis into a prison when visiting an inmate after staff detected a “strong smell” and handcuffed her immediately.
Navneet Uppal, now 22, was caught out during a visit to HMP Forest Bank in Salford last year. Prison staff noticed a “strong smell” of cannabis before the drugs were seized.
Uppal arrived at the prison on March 18, 2025 to attend a “pre-arranged social visit” with an inmate, prosecuting Elizabeth Walker explained, reports Manchester Evening News.
She was searched by a member of prison staff, and replied ‘no’ after being asked if she had anything on her which she shouldn’t have.
The officer searched the top half of her body and after moving on to search her legs but noticed a ‘strong smell’ of cannabis. Uppal was again asked if she had anything on her, to which she appeared “nervous”.
View 3 ImagesHMP Forest Bank (Image: MEN)
A ‘small wrap’ of cannabis was retrieved, and it was tested and confirmed to be the class B drug, weighing 1.02g and said to be worth between £40 and £60 within the prison environment.
Uppal, who has no previous convictions, replied ‘no comment’ to questions when she was interviewed by police the following day. Defending, Michael James said that Uppal was 21 when the offence was committed.
He said it was a ‘relatively small’ amount of cannabis which had been recovered but conceded that the offence was ‘very serious,’ adding: “She is ashamed of what she has done”.
Mr James said that at the time, Uppal had been in an ‘abusive domestic relationship’ and had ‘suffered a great deal’. The court heard Uppal had been suspended from a university course but will now be able to carry on with it.
View 3 ImagesThe Crown Court at Manchester Minshull Street(Image: ABNM Photography)
Sentencing, the judge, Recorder Emma Fisher, said the case crossed the custodial threshold but that she could draw back from handing down an immediate prison sentence.
Instead Uppal was sentenced to eight weeks in prison, suspended for 15 months. She was also ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and pay £150 in costs.
Uppal, of Mellor Grove, Bolton, pleaded guilty to one charge of conveying a list A article into a prison.
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