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Drugs smuggled by prison officer | Drugs smuggled by prison officer |
(about 20 hours later) | |
A former prison officer has pleaded guilty to helping inmates smuggle drugs into a private prison in Warwickshire. | A former prison officer has pleaded guilty to helping inmates smuggle drugs into a private prison in Warwickshire. |
Gordon Hacker, from Rugby, conspired with inmates serving at HMP Rye Hill between November 2004 and April 2005, Northampton Crown Court heard. | Gordon Hacker, from Rugby, conspired with inmates serving at HMP Rye Hill between November 2004 and April 2005, Northampton Crown Court heard. |
Hacker, 44, tipped off inmates about the best times for accomplices to throw drugs into the prison over the prison wall, the court was told. | Hacker, 44, tipped off inmates about the best times for accomplices to throw drugs into the prison over the prison wall, the court was told. |
He was remanded on conditional bail and is due to be sentenced in December. | He was remanded on conditional bail and is due to be sentenced in December. |
Hacker, 44, was charged along with four co-defendants, all of whom had already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply controlled drugs at Rye Hill. | Hacker, 44, was charged along with four co-defendants, all of whom had already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply controlled drugs at Rye Hill. |
Elaborate conspiracy | Elaborate conspiracy |
They are Stephen McClusky and Thomas Zealand, who were inmates at Rye Hill at the time of the conspiracy, and Sheree Williams and Stephanie Zealand, the two men's girlfriends. | They are Stephen McClusky and Thomas Zealand, who were inmates at Rye Hill at the time of the conspiracy, and Sheree Williams and Stephanie Zealand, the two men's girlfriends. |
They are all also due to be sentenced in December. | They are all also due to be sentenced in December. |
Judge Richard Bray, presiding, described the elaborate drug-trafficking conspiracy at Rye Hill. | Judge Richard Bray, presiding, described the elaborate drug-trafficking conspiracy at Rye Hill. |
He told the court: "It consisted of using moneys that had been earned in prison through prison work, or moneys used by relatives of inmates in prison to fund a bank account used by one of the girlfriends of the prisoners." | He told the court: "It consisted of using moneys that had been earned in prison through prison work, or moneys used by relatives of inmates in prison to fund a bank account used by one of the girlfriends of the prisoners." |
Drugs were then bought with the money on the outside and thrown over the prison walls at night to inmates who were waiting on the inside, the court heard. | Drugs were then bought with the money on the outside and thrown over the prison walls at night to inmates who were waiting on the inside, the court heard. |
Sometimes he was being called by these men several times, many times, in the course of one day Rachel Brand, QC | Sometimes he was being called by these men several times, many times, in the course of one day Rachel Brand, QC |
Judge Bray told the court Hacker's involvement was "by telling them when was a good time to throw stuff over the wall, and doubtless turning a blind eye to what was going on". | Judge Bray told the court Hacker's involvement was "by telling them when was a good time to throw stuff over the wall, and doubtless turning a blind eye to what was going on". |
Telephone records revealed that Hacker had received frequent and regular telephone calls over the four-month period from 2004 to 2005 from Stephen McClusky and Thomas Zealand. | Telephone records revealed that Hacker had received frequent and regular telephone calls over the four-month period from 2004 to 2005 from Stephen McClusky and Thomas Zealand. |
Rachel Brand QC, prosecuting, told the court: "Sometimes he was being called by these men several times, many times, in the course of one day." | Rachel Brand QC, prosecuting, told the court: "Sometimes he was being called by these men several times, many times, in the course of one day." |
Ms Brand told the court that although the calls often lasted no more than a few seconds, it was "enough, I suppose, for someone to say I need to speak to you, come and see me". | Ms Brand told the court that although the calls often lasted no more than a few seconds, it was "enough, I suppose, for someone to say I need to speak to you, come and see me". |
Ecstasy, cannabis, heroin | |
There was insufficient evidence to prove whether Hacker had actually brought drugs into the prison himself, or whether he realised the scale of the trafficking, the court was told. | There was insufficient evidence to prove whether Hacker had actually brought drugs into the prison himself, or whether he realised the scale of the trafficking, the court was told. |
But payments ranging from £20 to more than £800 were made into the bank account being used for the conspiracy. | But payments ranging from £20 to more than £800 were made into the bank account being used for the conspiracy. |
The payments to the account held by Sheree Williams amounted to £6,390; and large quantities of drugs were found at the homes of Sheree Williams and Stephanie Zealand, the court was told. | The payments to the account held by Sheree Williams amounted to £6,390; and large quantities of drugs were found at the homes of Sheree Williams and Stephanie Zealand, the court was told. |
The drugs included cannabis resin, ecstasy pills, diamorphine and heroin, the prosecution said. | |
As to the scale of all this, we're not talking about the odd throw over the prison walls here. This is serious stuff Judge Richard Bray | As to the scale of all this, we're not talking about the odd throw over the prison walls here. This is serious stuff Judge Richard Bray |
Speaking outside the court, Det Sgt Andy Blaize of Northamptonshire Police, said postal orders were sent from "numerous" prisoners to addresses across Coventry. | Speaking outside the court, Det Sgt Andy Blaize of Northamptonshire Police, said postal orders were sent from "numerous" prisoners to addresses across Coventry. |
He said: "When you look at these addresses, there is some link with an inmate, and Stephanie Zealand has gone to collect the majority of these postal orders." | He said: "When you look at these addresses, there is some link with an inmate, and Stephanie Zealand has gone to collect the majority of these postal orders." |
Judge Bray said: "As to the scale of all this, we're not talking about the odd throw over the prison walls here. This is serious stuff." | Judge Bray said: "As to the scale of all this, we're not talking about the odd throw over the prison walls here. This is serious stuff." |
In 2005, a report by the chief inspector of prisons found HMP Rye Hill to be "unsafe for staff and inmates alike". | In 2005, a report by the chief inspector of prisons found HMP Rye Hill to be "unsafe for staff and inmates alike". |
The report of the inspection was described by the Prison Reform Trust as "one of the most damning we have ever seen". | The report of the inspection was described by the Prison Reform Trust as "one of the most damning we have ever seen". |
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