He took drugs in jail and had a stroke.. so we're giving him pounds 1.4M.

Byline: RICHARD SMITH 

A PRISONER who took drugs in jail was yesterday awarded pounds 1.4million because they ruined his health.

Dad-of-three Ellis Sherwood, 41, regularly took heroin, cocaine and crack during 11 years behind bars for murder.

Mr Sherwood's conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal in 1999 - but he suffered a stroke after being released.

Lawyers proved the stroke, which has left him with impaired speech and limited use of his right arm, was related to his prolonged drug abuse in prison.

And yesterday the Home Office agreed to pay Mr Sherwood pounds 1.4million compensation in an out-of-court settlement.

Mr Sherwood, who spent time in several jails including Long Lartin in Worcs, said: "I was given drugs in all those places. I tried to resist but the pressure was just too much. I'd never have got involved in drugs if I hadn't gone inside."

His wife Yvonne claimed prison officers should have stopped him taking the drugs. She said: "He wrongly lost 11 years of his life in prison and now he has been robbed of his health."

David Davies, MP for Monmouth, South Wales, said: "I can't see how anyone who has taken drugs, in or out of prison, should be paid compensation from public money. This could set a very dangerous precedent."

Mr Sherwood was 18 when he was convicted of murdering newsagent Phillip Saunders, 52, in Cardiff in 1988.

But 11 years later, Mr Sherwood and co-defendants Michael O'Brien and Darren Hall were cleared by the Court of Appeal.

Mr Sherwood, from Canton, appeared at Cardiff crown court yesterday charged with threatening to kill a social worker during a meeting. He denied the charge.

CAPTION(S):

BEHIND BARS Long Lartin prison DRUGS Crack like Sherwood took CONVICTED During murder trial