A PRISONER was jailed for a month yesterday for spiking a warder's drink with drugs used to treat irritable bowel syndrome. Bernard Cooke (21), of Magilligan Point Road in Limavady, Co Derry, pleaded guilty at Belfast Crown Court to administering a poison to aggrieve the female prison officer. The court heard that Cooke was serving a sentence for robbery at Hydebank Wood Young Offenders Centre in south Belfast when the incident happened in May last year. A prosecution lawyer said the prison officer had been helping Cooke who had a history of self harming. "She took a drink from her soft drink can and started to have a metallic taste in her mouth,'' the lawyer told Belfast Recorder Judge David McFarland. "She noticed a white powder substance around the top of the can. "She took it to the security office and staff examined it with a field test kit. "The can was sent to the Northern Ireland Forensic Science Agency and it was found to contain Mebeverin, an anti-spasmodic drug used in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.'' The victim reported the incident to the governor and following a review of CCTV footage on the landing, Cooke was seen placing something in her can. She went to the Ulster Hospital where an examination showed she was suffering from low blood pressure and a high heartbeat. The court heard the warder returned to work the next day but was later sent home as she found it difficult to cope and then spent a total of 185 days off work because of the incident. He added: "She has since returned to work but on lesser duties. She is still upset and angry about this incident.'' Judge McFarland was told that when interviewed, Cooke, who is serving a 16-month sentence for robbery, told police that he thought he had given her a laxative, adding that it was only done as a "joke''. Cooke was due to be released in May but will now spend an extra month in custody.
