Who Was William Todd and Why Is His Case Significant?

William Todd is a convicted murderer serving two life sentences in a UK prison. His case became the subject of major public attention when it was revealed that, while serving his sentence, he had used a mobile phone secretly concealed inside a DVD player in his cell to orchestrate a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. His scheme targeted a drug trafficking trial involving a 448-kilogram shipment of MDMA worth approximately £45 million, which traffickers had attempted to smuggle to Australia concealed inside the arm of an industrial digger.

Todd’s case illustrates one of the most serious ongoing challenges facing the UK prison system: the ability of organised crime figures to continue directing criminal enterprises from behind bars using contraband mobile phones. The National Crime Agency (NCA) described his conduct as among the most brazen attempts to undermine the justice system it had investigated.

How Did William Todd Direct Crime From His Prison Cell?

Todd concealed a mobile phone inside a DVD player in his prison cell. The phone was saved in his contacts under the name Ari Gold — a character from the US television series Entourage — to disguise its criminal purpose. Using this hidden device, Todd communicated with associates outside prison and orchestrated a plan to have false claims of jury bribery planted in connection with the drug trafficking trial.

The scheme involved fabricating evidence that jurors in the drug trial had been bribed, with the intention of causing the trial to collapse and the defendants to walk free. Todd coordinated the conspiracy from within his cell, directing associates to make false reports to the police and the court about non-existent bribery. The conspiracy was uncovered by the NCA and police, and Todd was subsequently charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

What Sentence Did William Todd Receive for Directing Crime From Prison?

William Todd was convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and received an additional 7-year prison sentence to be served consecutively to his existing two life sentences. The sentencing judge described Todd’s conduct as a calculated and determined attempt to corrupt the administration of justice from within the prison estate, and noted that the case warranted a severe deterrent sentence to send a clear message that such conduct would not go unpunished regardless of where it originated.

Todd also had a prior escape from prison. In December 2001, he escaped from custody and remained at large for five days before being recaptured. This history of defying the prison system formed part of the sentencing context when his phone offences and conspiracy conviction were considered by the court.

Is It a Criminal Offence to Have a Mobile Phone in Prison in the UK?

Yes. Possessing a mobile phone or a SIM card in prison without authorisation is a criminal offence under section 40D of the Prison Act 1952, as amended by the Offender Management Act 2007. The maximum sentence for this offence is 2 years’ imprisonment. The offence applies to both prisoners who possess phones and to anyone who conveys a phone into a prison, including visitors, staff or individuals who throw phones over prison walls.

In practice, prosecutions for phone possession in prison typically result in additional months rather than years. However, where the possession of a phone is connected to serious criminal activity — as in Todd’s case — the offence forms part of a broader charging picture that can attract a much more substantial overall sentence. The possession offence itself may be charged alongside conspiracy, fraud, drug trafficking or other serious offences.

How Common Is Mobile Phone Use in UK Prisons?

Mobile phone use in UK prisons is a serious and persistent problem. According to figures released by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), tens of thousands of mobile phones and SIM cards are seized from UK prisons every year. In the twelve months to March 2024, over 13,000 mobile phones and SIM cards were confiscated from prisons in England and Wales.

Phones are smuggled into prisons through a variety of methods, including being thrown over perimeter walls attached to tennis balls or bags of drugs, concealed within deliveries of legitimate items, brought in by corrupt prison staff, or passed by visitors during contact visits. Prison authorities use a range of detection measures including signal jamming technology, body scanners, mobile phone detection dogs, and enhanced searching regimes to combat the problem.

Can a Prisoner Legally Use a Phone in Prison?

Yes, but only in specified circumstances. Prisoners in England and Wales are entitled to make telephone calls using the authorised in-cell telephony system or communal wing phones, which are monitored and recorded by prison authorities. Some prisons have introduced in-cell phones as part of managed systems that allow calls to approved numbers during specified hours. These systems are specifically designed to prevent unmonitored communication with the outside world.

The use of personal mobile phones — handsets brought into prison by or for prisoners without authorisation — remains illegal in all circumstances. The distinction between the authorised telephony system and contraband phones is central to the legal regime: monitored calls through approved systems are permitted and encouraged as a means of maintaining family contact and supporting rehabilitation, while unmonitored communication through contraband devices is a criminal offence.

What Is Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice?

Conspiracy to pervert the course of justice is a common law offence in England and Wales that covers any agreement between two or more people to do an act which has a tendency to pervert the course of public justice. It includes fabricating evidence, bribing or intimidating witnesses or jurors, making false reports to the police, and interfering with legal proceedings in any way that obstructs or defeats the proper administration of justice.

The offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, reflecting the seriousness with which the courts treat any attempt to corrupt the justice system. In practice, sentences of between 2 and 8 years are common for serious cases, though much depends on the scale of the conspiracy, the harm caused or risked, and the role of the defendant. In Todd’s case, the 7-year consecutive sentence reflected both the seriousness of the plot and the aggravating factor that it was directed from within prison.

Frequently Asked Questions About Directing Crime From Prison

Can you go to prison for longer if you direct crime from your cell?

Yes. If a prisoner uses a contraband mobile phone to direct criminal activity from their cell, they can face both the 2-year maximum for phone possession under the Prison Act 1952 and additional charges for any offences they orchestrate, such as conspiracy to pervert the course of justice (maximum life), drug trafficking, fraud or other serious offences. These sentences can be ordered to run consecutively to the existing sentence, significantly extending the total time served.

How do prisoners get mobile phones into UK prisons?

Phones are smuggled into UK prisons through multiple routes: thrown over perimeter walls, concealed in clothing or body cavities by visitors, hidden in legitimate deliveries, or brought in by corrupt prison officers. Some are passed through contact visits. Prison authorities have increased detection measures including signal-blocking technology, body-worn scanners at prison gates, and dedicated phone detection dogs, but the problem persists due to the high demand and value of phones inside prison.

What was the William Todd prison phone case?

William Todd was a convicted murderer who concealed a mobile phone inside a DVD player in his prison cell and used it to orchestrate a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. He directed associates outside prison to plant false evidence of jury bribery in a drug trafficking trial involving 448 kilograms of MDMA worth approximately £45 million. He was convicted of the conspiracy and received a 7-year sentence consecutive to his existing life terms.

What is the sentence for possessing a phone in prison?

The maximum sentence for possessing a mobile phone or SIM card in prison without authorisation is 2 years’ imprisonment under section 40D of the Prison Act 1952. The same maximum applies to anyone who conveys a phone or SIM card into a prison. In practice, sentences are often significantly lower for simple possession, but where phone use is linked to serious criminal activity, the overall sentence for all offences combined can be much more severe.

Is directing criminal activity from prison an aggravating factor in sentencing?

Yes. Courts in England and Wales treat the direction of criminal activity from within prison as a significant aggravating factor in sentencing. It demonstrates a continued willingness to engage in criminality despite the custodial context, a level of planning and organisation, and contempt for the prison system and the rule of law. Sentences for such conduct are frequently ordered to run consecutively to the existing term rather than concurrently, meaning the prisoner serves the additional time on top of their original sentence.