Pair jailed for plotting to smuggle drugs into Doncaster prison using drones

West Yorkshire Police
Ricky Smith (left) and Jade Brannan (right) were sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court. Credit: West Yorkshire Police

Two people have been jailed after plotting to smuggle drugs and phones into prisons using drones.

Jade Brannan, 35, and Ricky Smith, 39, both pleaded guilty to conspiring to bring drugs, mobile phones and SIM cards into HMP Lindholme.

In June 2022 a prison officer found a drone dropping a package in the shape of a juice carton into the grounds of the Doncaster prison.

South Yorkshire Police said the package contained a number of harmful drugs, SIM cards, charging cables and mobile phones.

Flight data from the drone led police to Smith's address, and forensic analysis led to a match for both Smith and Brannan.

Brannan, of Heath Rise, Leeds, was arrested at her home. A number of suspected drugs were seized along with empty boxes of diazepam, pregabalin and a quantity of USB sticks.

Smith, of Ash Close, Leeds, was also arrested. Police found a drone controller and blades at his address.

Police found various chats on Smith's phone where he offered the sale of drugs and had images of juice cartons similar to what was recovered from the drone at HMP Lindholme. Video footage of a previous drop was also found on the phone.

The pair were sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday.

Smith was given a three-year prison sentence, with Brannan jailed for two years and three months

Brannan admitted two counts of supplying a Class C drugs, with Smith pleading guilty to three counts of the same offence.

Smith also admitted three counts of throwing an article into a prison - twice at HMP Ranby in Nottinghamshire and once at HMP Lindholme.

Detective Constable Jonathan White, said: "Nationally, we have started to see a dramatic increase of drones incursions into our prison estates, and it has become a more frequently used way to get illicit contraband items into prisons.

"These activities fuel crime within prisons and threaten to derail the rehabilitation of offenders and their eventual reintegration back into society."

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