A STASH of drugs was found hidden in an inmate's prosthetic limb during a cell search, a court heard.

Suspicions were raised when a prison officer saw a fellow inmate carrying an envelope to the cell of Gerard Thomas Wilson, on a wing at Durham Jail.

On examination, the envelope was found to contain what seemed to be an order for drugs, so the search was carried out by prison officers.

Wilson, a remand inmate at the time - in December 2005 - when asked, denied that he had any illegal substances.

Durham Crown Court was told that during the subsequent search, he was asked to remove his prosthetic leg.

Underneath, his leg was covered in an elasticized bandage, in which a cling-film wrap and four further packages were found.

David Wilkinson, prosecuting, said a dealer's list was recovered from a locker, fuelling the officer's suspicions bout Wilson's activities.

Subsequent tests confirmed the packages contained 25.8 grams of cannabis resin and 12.9 grams of heroin.

Mr Wilkinson said the drugs carried an estimated value in prison of £387.

Wilson made admissions when the packages were removed, but claimed he was merely holding them on behalf of an unnamed third party, intending to return them on Christmas Day.

He claimed he thought they contained cannabis, and had no idea there was any heroin among them.

Wilson said the dealer's list contained orders for tobacco, something he had been handling for three months or so.

Mr Wilkinson said the prosecution was not in a position to contradict the claims, while not fully accepting his story.

John Wilkinson, mitigating, said Wilson subsequently received a sentence for public protection, with a minimum recommendation he serves 42 months before being considered for parole, for wounding with intent and perverting the course of justice.

Wilson, 35, previously of Hedgeley Road, Hebburn, South Tyneside, now in Frankland Prison, near Durham, admitted possessing controlled drugs with intent to supply.

Recorder Martin Bethel imposed a three-and-a-half year prison sentence, to run alongside the sentence Wilson is already serving.