March 28, 2018 10.15 am This story is over 78 months old

Gang members who threw drugs and phones over Lincoln Prison walls jailed

These are the gang members found to be delivering contraband into Lincoln Prison.

Police and prison staff broke up an organised contraband gang.

By Emily Norton Associate Editor

Police and HMP Lincoln staff have broken up an organised plot to deliver contraband to inmates both within the prison and by throwing items over the walls.

Seven members of a gang who systematically dropped banned packages into the Category B men’s prison off Greetwell Road have been given prison sentences in the last two months.

These offences ranged from the distribution of contraband within the prison, to the throwing of contraband over the prison walls.

Investigations began after Lincolnshire Police officers received reports from the prison of an increase in packages being thrown over the walls.

The West Impact Team and Lincoln CID then worked with the prison for a period of six months to convict those responsible.

Offenders sentenced were (Lincolnshire Police released images of five of the seven people jailed):

Michelle Noble, 48, of Lake View Road, Lincoln, sentenced for conspiring to bring a list A prohibited article into prison. She received six-months imprisonment on 8 December, after conspiring to bring mobile phones and cannabis into HMP Lincoln.
Gareth Napier, 33, of no fixed address, sentenced for conspiring to being in prohibited articles into prison. He received two-month imprisonment on 8 December, while working with Michelle Noble to bring in items into HMP Lincoln.
Jordan Baker, 21, of New Road, Featherstone, Wolverhampton, was sentenced for conspiring to bring a list A and B prohibited article into prison. He received three months and six-months for one offence, and ten-months and six-months for another, after bringing drugs including cocaine and cannabis, and mobile phones into HMP Lincoln.

Jordon Baker brought drugs including cocaine and cannabis, and mobile phones into HMP Lincoln.

Charles Smith, 32, of Earlesfield Lane, Grantham, was sentenced for conveying a banned article into prison. He received a two-year prison sentence after throwing packages including cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis over the walls of HMP Lincoln.

Carles Smith threw drugs over the walls of HMP Lincoln, including cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis.

Daniel Fowler, 29, of Walnut Place, Lincoln, was sentenced for conspiring to bring a list A, B and C prohibited article into HMP Lincoln, including throwing packages of prohibited items over the walls of HMP Lincoln. He was sentenced to two-years for list A, 12-months concurrent for list B, and three-months concurrent for list C.

Daniel Fowler threw items over the walls of Lincoln Prison.

Thomas Gaskin, 46, of Louisberg Road, Hemswell Cliff, Gainsborough, sentenced for conspiring to bring in prohibited A and B items, namely phones and drugs, into HMP Lincoln. He was sentenced to twelve-months imprisonment.

Thomas Gaskin brought phones and drugs into the prison.

Cori Bentley, 25, of Bawtry Close, Lincoln, sentenced for conspiring with Daniel Fowler to bring in mobile phones and Cannabis into HMP Lincoln. He was sentenced to twelve-months imprisonment.

Cori Bentley also conspired to bring drugs and phones into the prison.

Detective Sergeant Kerry Webb said: “We were contacted by the prison staff who were concerned about the amount of packages found that had been thrown over the walls of HMP Lincoln.

“Together we worked for six months to investigate and catch offenders who were abusing the prison system. From our work with the prison, we were able to break-up an organised plot to deliver prohibited contraband into offenders currently serving time in HMP Lincoln.

“We are determined that, even if offenders are already serving time for previous offences, we will work to punish and deter anyone found abusing the prison system, and committing these offences.

“I want to thank my colleagues and all the staff at HMP Lincoln for their dedication and efforts in the last few months.”

Detective Sergeant Michael Head, Lincoln CID, said: “Alongside the prison service, and the Impact Team, our CID team here in Lincoln worked for six months investigating what turned out to be an organised plot to abuse the prison system.

“To prevent this, we needed to investigate to understand what was really happening, along with the prison service who were willing to co-operate in order to break up this gang.

“The seriousness of these offences was shown by the fact that all offenders have been given custody time. These were all offenders who were determined and attempted many times to smuggle items into HMP Lincoln. By braking up this gang, we have significantly damaged the illegal supply of contraband into the prison.”

Prisons Minister Rory Stewart said: “The Secretary of State and I have put the fight against criminal gangs at the heart of our work in the Ministry of Justice. We are clear that decent, drug-free prisons are vital to the effective rehabilitation of offenders and protection of the public.

“These arrests are the latest example of the results that can be achieved by the police and HMPPS working together to stop the flow of drugs into our prisons.”