A HEROIN addict today revealed how easily he got and profited from drugs in a Suffolk prison.Christopher Thompson told how he not only got his own fixes while inside Highpoint Prison but even made hundreds of pounds acting as a go-between for dealers.

A HEROIN addict today revealed how easily he got and profited from drugs in a Suffolk prison.

Christopher Thompson told how he not only got his own fixes while inside Highpoint Prison but even made hundreds of pounds acting as a go-between for dealers.

This comes after the Star recently revealed that 11 people took overdoses at the prison last year.

The East Anglian Ambulance Trust was called to Highpoint 11 times to treat people who had overdosed between January 4 and December 30 last year.

Mr Thompson, of Wells Close, Ipswich, left Highpoint in 2003 after serving time for burgling a house in Clacton.

The 40-year-old said: "It was excellent in prison. I earned more money in there than out here, wheeling and dealing, running around for the drug dealers in there.

"I was making about £100 to £120 a week wheeling and dealing in prison.

"I had no problems at all getting heroin in there. I went in with a drug habit and came out with one."

Mr Thompson, who only has around six months left to live, has been a heroin user for more than 20 years.

The hepatitis C suffer has serious liver damage, barely eats and is in constant pain – and recently spoke to the Star in an attempt to deter anybody else from going down the same path.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "Highpoint is committed to preventing the entry of drugs into its establishment and will take appropriate disciplinary action against those who try to misuse drugs whilst in custody.

"The security department, which includes a very successful team of drug dogs and their handlers, uses intelligence information to target various areas and individuals suspected of attempting to acquire drugs.

"Highpoint has also appointed a drug reduction co-ordinator to deal specifically with drug offences on the premises."

She said that every month Highpoint drug tests up to 40 prisoners on a mandatory basis and conducts 230 voluntary drug tests and that, in the last two months alone, the district judge has seen 24 prisoners on drug-related matters.

The spokeswoman added: "The Prison Service manages a very significant group of people who misuse drugs and those requiring detoxification are identified and treated when first entering prison.

"For those prisoners who wish to give up, drugs help is available at Highpoint. Carats Team assesses and offers support to prisoners who request it and there is also a very successful drug rehabilitation programme.

"Prisoners who wish continued support are referred to drug intervention programmes on release."

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