Former prison officer and three others sentenced for smuggling contraband into HMP Guys Marsh
Police say the group were part of "an organised and deliberate criminal enterprise"
Four people have been sentenced for their roles in smuggling prohibited items and drugs into HMP Guys Marsh in Dorset.
Matthew Langdown, 36, a former prison officer of Severn Road, Ferndown, Dorset, pleaded guilty at Bristol Crown Court to conspiring to convey prohibited articles into a prison, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, and misconduct in a public office
He received concurrent custodial sentences totalling four-and-a-half years.
Brian Grady, 39, currently imprisoned at HMP Guys Marsh, admitted to conspiring to convey prohibited articles into a prison and was sentenced to four years in prison.
Paul O'Shea, 43, from Bristol, received a 23-month custodial sentence after admitting to his part in the conspiracy.
Kady Griffin, 34, also from Bristol, was convicted on the same charge and given an 18-month prison term, suspended for two years.
The group was charged in April last year (2025) for their roles in the conspiracy to smuggle prohibited items such as drugs, mobile phones, and SIM cards into the prison between January and September 2023.
Grady, an inmate at HMP Guys Marsh coordinated the smuggling operation with Langdown, a prison officer, who bypassed security using protein powder tubs to bring in contraband.
Grady later distributed the contraband to other prisoners.
O'Shea and Griffin aided Langdown from outside the prison, supplying items and collecting payments from associates of inmates who were purchasing items from Grady inside the prison.
Investigations revealed that on nine occasions from January to August 2023, O'Shea or Griffin met Langdown in Dorset and Wiltshire to hand over prohibited items or to pass him money for doing so.
Financial enquiries by police identified payments totalling over £60,000 made into the bank accounts of Griffin and O’Shea which were shown to have come from accounts of associates of serving inmates at HMP Guys Marsh and, in some cases, from bank accounts in the name of the inmates themselves.
Additional financial enquiries showed a number of payments had been made via Western Union from O’Shea to Langdown totalling thousands of pounds.
In September 2023, Langdown and Griffin were arrested, and a search of O'Shea's residence uncovered a protein powder tub containing Class C drug capsules, 22 smartphones, 20 SIM cards, 20 charging cables, and a 4G router.
The items were estimated to have a value in prison of between £90,000 and £190,000.
Langdown was also implicated in cocaine supply outside the prison based on evidence from his mobile phone.
DI Tim Seaman, the senior investigating officer for Avon & Somerset Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Team, said: “Langdown, Grady, O’Shea and Griffin were part of an organised and deliberate criminal enterprise that sought to profit from undermining the security and safety of HMP Guys Marsh.
Langdown abused his position as a serving prison officer to smuggle significant quantities of prohibited items into the prison, including drugs and mobile phones; enabling Grady to distribute them for substantial financial gain. This criminality created an illegal market within the prison which can create debt and fuel violence, it would have also undoubtedly facilitated ongoing criminal activity by other serving prisoners through use of illicit mobile telephones.
“Our investigations into organised crime do not stop at the prison gates. Where we identify corruption, we will relentlessly pursue those responsible and bring them to justice – Corrupt staff represent a very small minority, but their actions have a disproportionate and deeply damaging impact on the safety, integrity, and stability of our prisons.
“This complex case is the result of a meticulous investigation by my team and exceptional partnership work with the HMPPS Counter Corruption Unit and the CPS Complex Casework Unit. The guilty pleas and convictions reflect the strength of the evidence gathered and our shared commitment to protecting the public from organised crime and safeguarding the prison estate from corruption.”
PC Mark Paterson, a Corruption Investigator for the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) said: “This case demonstrates exactly how dangerous corruption can be when criminal networks seek to exploit positions of trust. The individuals involved showed a calculated willingness to compromise the safety and integrity of the prison environment for their own gain.
“I hope these sentences send a clear message that corruption and criminality will be relentlessly pursued, wherever it occurs.”
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Our Counter-Corruption Unit worked closely with police to uncover this despicable behaviour.
“The overwhelming majority of Prison Service staff are hardworking and honest, but as this case shows, we will always take robust action when officers fall below our high standards.”