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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Eight jailed over plot to smuggle drugs and phones into UK prisons | Eight jailed over plot to smuggle drugs and phones into UK prisons |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Gang directed by inmate Craig Hickinbottom carried out at least 49 drone flights at institutions across England and Scotland | |
| Press Association | |
| Wed 13 Dec 2017 13.41 GMT | |
| Last modified on Mon 18 Dec 2017 15.35 GMT | |
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| Eight people have been jailed for taking part in a plot to smuggle cannabis and mobile phones into prisons in England and Scotland using drones. | Eight people have been jailed for taking part in a plot to smuggle cannabis and mobile phones into prisons in England and Scotland using drones. |
| Craig Hickinbottom, who directed the “large-scale and persistent” operation from behind bars, was jailed for seven years and two months. | Craig Hickinbottom, who directed the “large-scale and persistent” operation from behind bars, was jailed for seven years and two months. |
| Drone pilot Mervyn Foster received a sentence of six years and eight months for his part in the enterprise, which police said involved at least 49 drone flights and four “throw-overs” of contraband. | Drone pilot Mervyn Foster received a sentence of six years and eight months for his part in the enterprise, which police said involved at least 49 drone flights and four “throw-overs” of contraband. |
| Birmingham crown court heard the offences were committed between July 2015 and May this year at jails in Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Liverpool, and Perth in Scotland. | Birmingham crown court heard the offences were committed between July 2015 and May this year at jails in Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Liverpool, and Perth in Scotland. |
| Passing sentence, Judge Roderick Henderson said: “Prisons are difficult enough places to run. They contain people who are dangerous and vulnerable. Supplying things into prison that should not be there – drugs, phones, tools and the like – threatens proper management and creates real risks of violence and loss of control and discipline. | Passing sentence, Judge Roderick Henderson said: “Prisons are difficult enough places to run. They contain people who are dangerous and vulnerable. Supplying things into prison that should not be there – drugs, phones, tools and the like – threatens proper management and creates real risks of violence and loss of control and discipline. |
| “To do that is desperately serious.” | “To do that is desperately serious.” |
| Remote-controlled drones, equipped with a fishing line and hooks, were flown to cell windows where inmates, in contact with the pilot, used tools such as extendable broom handles to retrieve smuggled items. | Remote-controlled drones, equipped with a fishing line and hooks, were flown to cell windows where inmates, in contact with the pilot, used tools such as extendable broom handles to retrieve smuggled items. |
| CCTV showed other prisoners visiting the cells and walking out with packages, believed to be their illicit orders. | CCTV showed other prisoners visiting the cells and walking out with packages, believed to be their illicit orders. |
| Hickinbottom’s 32-year-old partner, Lisa Hodgetts, from Tividale, West Midlands, admitted money laundering and was given a 16-month suspended prison term. | Hickinbottom’s 32-year-old partner, Lisa Hodgetts, from Tividale, West Midlands, admitted money laundering and was given a 16-month suspended prison term. |
| Hickinbottom, 35, who was a prisoner at HMP Featherstone in Staffordshire, and later HMP Hewell in Worcestershire, organised deliveries to both jails. He admitted four counts of conspiring to bring contraband into prison, and conspiracy to supply psychoactive substances. | Hickinbottom, 35, who was a prisoner at HMP Featherstone in Staffordshire, and later HMP Hewell in Worcestershire, organised deliveries to both jails. He admitted four counts of conspiring to bring contraband into prison, and conspiracy to supply psychoactive substances. |
| Foster, of Tipton, West Midlands, was described by the prosecution as the conspiracy’s “prime organiser on the outside”, and Hickinbottom’s “counterpart”. | Foster, of Tipton, West Midlands, was described by the prosecution as the conspiracy’s “prime organiser on the outside”, and Hickinbottom’s “counterpart”. |
| The 36-year-old, who was a petty criminal with 31 convictions for 76 offences, worked with “right-hand man” John Quinn, 35, also of Tipton. | The 36-year-old, who was a petty criminal with 31 convictions for 76 offences, worked with “right-hand man” John Quinn, 35, also of Tipton. |
| Quinn was jailed for four years and eight months after admitting three counts of conspiracy and another of conspiring to supply psychoactive substances. | Quinn was jailed for four years and eight months after admitting three counts of conspiracy and another of conspiring to supply psychoactive substances. |
| Hickinbottom’s brother, 50-year-old John Hickinbottom, was jailed for four years and eight months for his “significant” role. | Hickinbottom’s brother, 50-year-old John Hickinbottom, was jailed for four years and eight months for his “significant” role. |
| Terry Leach, 19, also of Tipton, was given a two-year suspended jail sentence after being described as a “foot soldier” in the offending. | Terry Leach, 19, also of Tipton, was given a two-year suspended jail sentence after being described as a “foot soldier” in the offending. |
| Ashley Rollinson, 21, of Brierley Hill in Dudley, was involved in the enterprise on just one day. He was jailed for 11 months but has already served his sentence on remand. | Ashley Rollinson, 21, of Brierley Hill in Dudley, was involved in the enterprise on just one day. He was jailed for 11 months but has already served his sentence on remand. |
| Yvonne Hay, 41, and her boyfriend, Francis Ward, both of Walsall, were jailed for two years and four months. | Yvonne Hay, 41, and her boyfriend, Francis Ward, both of Walsall, were jailed for two years and four months. |
| A warrant was issued for the arrest of another defendant after he failed to attend court. Sanjay Patel, 37, of Telford, Shropshire, but formerly of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, was given a four-month sentence for possession of a mobile phone in prison. | A warrant was issued for the arrest of another defendant after he failed to attend court. Sanjay Patel, 37, of Telford, Shropshire, but formerly of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, was given a four-month sentence for possession of a mobile phone in prison. |
| Prisons and probation | |
| Drones (non-military) | |
| Crime | |
| news | |
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