Teen's prison drugs probe

MP Nick Herbert has called on Gerry Sutcliffe, the government's minister for prisons, to look into the matter.

Mr Herbert, who represents Arundel and South Downs, said he had been told by prison officers at the prison that drugs were being passed into the prison only for the police and Crown Prosecution Service to be unsupportive when traffickers were caught. They often received just a caution.

The prison officers also said children as young as 15 were being used to smuggle in drugs.

In writing to Mr Sutcliffe, Mr Herbert said he believed the facts about the claims should be established

Sussex Police have since admitted that a 15-year-old boy was arrested and bailed, not cautioned, while inquiries continue.

A spokesman denied the force was unsupportive of prison officers by saying: 'Sussex Police do work closely with staff at Ford Open Prison and have assisted with suspects taking drugs into prisons.'

Mr Sutcliffe is visiting the prison next Thursday.

He and Mr Herbert have clashed about absconders from the prison and the amount of information released about them.