A TRUSTED Barnsley nurse who supplied drugs to prisoners has been jailed as part of the takedown of the UK’s largest ever drug and weapon prison smuggling conspiracy.
Amy Hatfield, 38, formerly of Hawthorne Street in Kingstone, was working as a mental health nurse at HMP Lindholme near Doncaster when she was arrested at the prison.
Hatfield disclosed to Detective Constable Scott Jarvis that she had ‘some stuff’ on her when she was arrested at the prison.
When officers searched Hatfield’s belongings, they found multiple wraps of cannabis, tobacco, anabolic steroids, vials of liquid, MDMA, phones and chargers.
She also had in her possession several bottles of ‘Ribena’, which in fact contained a liquid form of the synthetic cannabinoid spice.
This alone was estimated by prison experts to be worth over £1m.
Over the following months and years, officers unravelled a highly complex criminal network operating inside HMP Lindholme, leading to Hatfield and a further 16 co-conspirators being charged and convicted on Friday.
Hatfield, now of HMP Newhall, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison, conspiracy to convey phones into prison, conveying knives into prison and money laundering.
She has been sentenced to total of ten years and two months in prison.
Detective Sergeant Gareth Gent, from the force’s dedicated Prison Anti-Corruption Unit, said: “The handing of the 17 sentences on Friday marks the end of a unprecedented, four-year investigation into one of the most significant and complex prison conspiracies in the country.
“The amount of work that went into piecing together the activities of the network of criminals both in and out of the prison system, working to smuggle dangerous and illegal substances into HMP Lindholme for money, is considerable.
“I want to recognise the dedication and patience of the investigation team, in particular the officer in the case DC Scott Jarvis, who has worked so hard to gather evidence against those involved, and to the specialists who have provided their knowledge and expertise to this case over the last four years.
“This result could also not have been achieved without working closely alongside staff at HMP Lindholme and the Crown Prosecution Service.
“Without their support, we would not have been able to bring these individuals to justice, and I would like to pass on my thanks to them today.
“While I am pleased the sentencing sees a number of this group behind bars, our work tackle the smuggling of illegal items into prisons does not stop here.
“Prisons should be places of safety where inmates can get help and support as they work towards rehabilitation.
“We know that sadly, the circulation of drugs and other illicit substances and articles causes great misery and violence in our prisons.
“We continue to work closely with the prison service to eliminate this kind of activity in prisons, and are steadfast in our commitment to identifying those exploiting the system.
“We will ensure those responsible are met with the full force of the law.”
