Four people found guilty of conspiring to smuggle drugs into prison

Four people found guilty of conspiring to smuggle drugs into prison

Four people were arrested and taken to Sheffield Crown Court after they were caught conspiring to smuggle drugs into a Doncaster prison.

The four people, including a prison officer, were charged with conspiring to supply drugs and illicit article into a number of prisons, including HMP Doncaster, as well as money laundering.

Rio Moran (30) from Halifax, James Millington (31), an inmate at HMP Leeds, Claire Anderson (32) and Callum Reilly (30), both from the Stockport area, all pleaded guilty to multiple offences.

Moran pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply Class B drugs into prison, conspiring to convey List B articles into prison and money laundering.

Millington and Anderson pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of Class B and C drugs into prison between 2017 and 2020, conspiring to supply Class B drugs into prison and conspiring to convey List B articles into prison.

Reilly pleaded guilty to supplying a Class B drug to Anderson, conspiring to convey List B articles into prison and money laundering.

Former prison officer Rio Moran was arrested by South Yorkshire Police’s Prison Anti-Corruption Unit in November last year.

Drugs and mobile phones were reportedly found at her house.

As Moran’s house was being searched, Reilly attempted to post contraband through the front door and was caught.

Millington was identified as the recipient of the contraband after receiving help from his partner, Anderson.

They are all due to appear before Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday 5 November for sentencing.

Detective Scott Jarvis, from SYP’s Prison Anti-Corruption Unit, said: “Our prisons are staffed predominantly with hard working officers who go about their business professionally despite the risks to themselves and colleagues on a daily basis.

“For the majority of staff, their number one aim is the safeguarding of inmates and colleagues and to support the rehabilitation of those inmates.

“Any officers that fall outside of that and commit crimes will be dealt with robustly along with any members of the public assisting that criminality.”

Detective Sergeant Gareth Gent, who led the investigation, added that they “quickly identify corruption and effectively deal with those responsible.”

John Hewitson, Serco Prison Director at HMP Doncaster, told SYP: “Serco has a zero-tolerance approach to people breaking the law and we worked closely with the police on this operation to arrest them.”