Former Staffordshire police officer among four jailed over drone drug drops into UK prisons
Organised smuggling network used drones to deliver Class A drugs, phones and tobacco into prisons
Four people, including a former Staffordshire Police officer, have been sentenced after police uncovered a coordinated operation using drones to smuggle illegal items into prisons in England.
The offences took place during 2021 and 2022, when drones were used in “fly-to-order” deliveries targeting HMP Onley in Northamptonshire and HMP Gartree in Leicestershire.
The unmanned flights were used to drop packages containing drugs, tobacco, mobile phones and other prohibited items directly into prison grounds.
The investigation was led by Northamptonshire Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Team, with support from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit. Officers discovered that the drones were being used to deliver a range of illicit substances, including Class A and Class B drugs as well as synthetic cannabis (commonly known as “spice”).
In one case, a prison officer patrolling the grounds recovered a package containing heroin and cannabis, with an estimated prison value exceeding £37,000 due to their inflated worth behind bars.
Following the investigation, four suspects were arrested and charged in connection with the operation: Peter King, Clare Davenport (a former detective constable with Staffordshire Police), Kent George, and Mervyn Foster.
Court proceedings at Coventry Crown Court heard that King admitted multiple conspiracy charges linked to the supply and possession of prohibited items and criminal property.
George and Foster were found guilty after trial, while Davenport admitted to handling criminal property.
Sentencing was later carried out at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
King received a prison sentence of six years and six months, George was jailed for five years and six months, and Foster was sentenced to seven years and three months. Davenport was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, along with 150 hours of unpaid work.
Lead investigator, Detective Sergeant Gareth Askew, said: “This was a sophisticated operation that sought to exploit technology to undermine the safety and stability of our prison system. These individuals showed a complete disregard for the law and the harm that drugs and other contraband cause within custodial environments.
“Through a detailed and determined investigation, we were able to identify those responsible and bring them before the courts.
“Let this case send a clear message to anyone thinking of engaging in similar behaviour - we will identify you, we will investigate you, and you will face serious consequences. No matter how sophisticated you believe your methods are, you are not beyond our reach.
“This was a very complex investigation involving a number of agencies and I am really pleased that not only did we stop these drone drops from happening, but that the people responsible have been brought to justice.”
Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, Lord Timpson said: “Criminals who think they can exploit our prisons from the sky should be in no doubt – we will track you down and you will face the full force of the law. I thank our prison staff and policing partners for their work on this operation and bringing those responsible to justice.
“Smuggling drugs and weapons into jails doesn't just break the law, it undermines the rehabilitation of prisoners and puts lives at risk. That’s why we are backing our hard-working and diligent staff who help bring these criminals to justice with a £40 million security investment including new anti-drone measures to crack down on contraband entering our prisons.”
A gross misconduct hearing held by Staffordshire Police on August 3, 2023, concluded that Davenport would have been dismissed if she had not already retired.