Court Hearing
On April 18, 2024, Kyle Fellowes, 23, was found in possession of an improvised weapon in the Bowhouse jail at HMP Kilmarnock. The item, described as having three blades attached, was discovered in a locked safe during a routine cell search. Fellowes pleaded guilty to one charge of possession of an offensive weapon.
Weapon Details
The improvised weapon was a makeshift blade with three blades. It was stored in a locked safe within Fellowes' cell. No other illicit items were found during the search. The matter was reported to Police Scotland.
Legal Defence
Solicitor Kevin Corr defended Fellowes, noting that he had been remanded into custody in March 2024 following a not-guilty plea at Ayr Sheriff Court. Corr explained that Fellowes had been the victim of multiple assaults and had enemies in the hall where he was housed. He claimed the weapon was for his own protection. Corr acknowledged that a custodial sentence was inevitable but asked Sheriff Sheena Fraser to consider the early guilty plea and Fellowes' age.
Sentencing
Sheriff Sheena Fraser ordered Fellowes to serve ten months in prison. She noted that he had seven previous convictions for possession of weapons. The court highlighted that the presence of such an item in prison poses a danger to inmates and staff.
Background
Fellowes had been in prison since March 2024 after a not-guilty plea to a separate matter. He had pleaded guilty to the weapon charge last week. The court described the incident as a serious breach of prison security.
