A woman has been jailed after admitting sending drugs into a Nottinghamshire prison.
In July 2020, the London-based woman was found to be contacting an inmate at HMP Lowdham Grange and facilitating ‘patched’ three-way phone conversations with associates, who were imprisoned elsewhere, as well as others from the community.
The reason? A conspiracy to mail drugs into prison.
The plot was uncovered following an investigation by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU).
In October of that year, a number of packages marked and franked as legal documents, but containing paper laced with the Class B drug ‘spice’, were seized as they arrived at HMP Lowdham Grange.
Others were subsequently recovered, ready to be sent to other prisons – including HMPs Wandsworth and Cardiff – from her home.
The total value of the drugs seized was estimated at £17,000, and would have been worth significantly more had it entered the prison estate.
Financial enquiries found deposits into her bank account matched the names of those she had been liaising with over the phone as part of the illicit operation.
She previously pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to convey banned articles into prison, possession of articles for use in fraud, and a communications offence relating to the prison phone calls.
On Thursday 12 October 2023, at Nottingham Crown Court, she was sentenced to a total of 30 months imprisonment.
EMSOU DI Richard Cornell said: “The woman was a key player in this plot to supply mind-altering drugs to prisoners.
"She exploited her legitimate phone access to an inmate by patching in others to the calls, enabling them to make their criminal plans, and then followed through with those plans by assisting in the movement of the drugs.
“Thankfully, we were soon on to them and the whole illegal operation was brought to an end before the drugs could reach their intended recipients.
“Drugs in prison will not be tolerated as their use is not only illegal, but also puts the health and safety of inmates and staff at risk.
"I am pleased the judge has recognised the seriousness of the matter with the jail term handed down.”
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