9 Jailed for smuggling phones and drugs into prison
9 Jailed for smuggling phones and drugs into prison, In a significant crackdown on contraband in prisons, a court has recently sentenced nine individuals for their involvement in smuggling drugs and mobile phones into HMP Hewell near Redditch. This operation involved both list A (drugs) and list B (mobile phones and related equipment) items.
The accused included Martin Mills, a 34-year-old from Bromsgrove, and Iain Maclachlan-Sim, also 34, from Leamington Spa, both receiving prison sentences for their roles in smuggling list A and list B items. Hamza Mohumed, 32, from Coventry, and Tony Graham Barrett, 28, from Nuneaton, were similarly found guilty of both charges, receiving concurrent sentences.
Others involved were David Ward, 53, and Jy Kennedy, 30, from Coventry and Leamington Spa respectively, who were penalized for list B offenses. Isiah Gill, 34, from Birmingham, Leanne Miles, 32, and Ann Marie Sim, 52, both from Coventry and Leamington Spa, were handed suspended sentences for their parts in the smuggling ring.
The investigation, initiated in April 2018, revealed that Martin Mills, a prison officer at HMP Hewell, was central to this smuggling operation, distributing items like drugs, mobile phones, and SIM cards, often concealed in boxes of cereal. The probe linked several prisoners and their family members to Mills, uncovering a network where families paid Mills to bring prohibited items into the prison for sale.
DC Claire Masters, leading the investigation, emphasized the importance of prison safety and the detrimental impact of drugs on the rehabilitation process in prisons. The sentences handed down reflect a strong stance against crimes committed within prison walls, aiming to uphold security and facilitate the rehabilitation of inmates.
