Woman jailed for dropping drugs into prisons via drone

A woman has been jailed for her "pivotal role" in a gang that dropped more than £1m of drugs and contraband into UK prisons via drone.

Lucy Adcock, 47, from Ruislip, Greater London, was caught with a drone in the boot of her car at a hotel near Bridgend's HMP Parc, south Wales.

Using software, South Wales Police was able to view its previous flights - 22 missions to drop drugs and mobile phones worth a potential £1,420,000 into British prisons.

Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard HMP Parc staff found a package of cocaine, spice, cannabis, mobile phones and chargers in the exercise yard.

Along with Parc, the gang carried out drug drops at HMP Gartree, Leicestershire, HMP Onley, Warwickshire, HMP Guys Marsh, Shaftesbury, Dorset, HMP High Down, Sutton, Greater London and HMP The Mount, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.

Judge Paul Hobson told mother-of-five Adcock: “You smuggled items into various prisons - drones were flown 20 times at night into six prisons.

“Those drones dropped off packages containing items of high value, drugs, mobile phones and SIM cards.

“It was well planned and well organised - it was a cynical and commercial enterprise.

“You played the pivotal role. You travelled around the country to fly the drones yourself or directing others to do so."

Adcock admitted attempting to conspiracy to convey both List A articles - such as drugs – and List B articles – such as mobile phones - into prisons between 12 April and 13 May last year.

She wiped away tears as she was jailed for six years.

Craig Davenport, 46, of Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, and Ryan Dorland, 45, also of Ruislip, Greater London, admitted the same charges.

Davenport was jailed for four years and nine months and Dorland for four years.

Two other members of Adcock’s team are due to be sentenced in the coming weeks.

A Proceeds of Crime Hearing will be held later this year.