Louise Craig, 43 and of Hersey Gardens in Bristol, pleaded guilty to three counts of conveying prohibited articles into a prison and was handed a 19-month jail term at Bournemouth Crown Court on Wednesday 21 February 2018.
Craig had attended HMP YOI Portland at around 2.20pm on Tuesday 21 November 2017 to visit her boyfriend.
She was seen by one of the prison officers to approach and embrace him. As she did this, she put her hand down his trousers. The prison officer recognised this as a typical way that items are passed illegally to prisoners.
He was taken away to be searched and a cylindrical item was discovered in his underwear. This was later opened and revealed to contain a miniature mobile phone, 30g of the drug Spice and 5.1g of a controlled prescription drug in the form of white powder.
Craig’s handbag, which had been left in the visitors’ locker area, was also seized and was found to contain an empty box for a miniature mobile phone, cling film and items that could be used as lubrication.
Detective Constable Lucy Johnson, of Weymouth CID, said: “We continue to work closely with the prison service to investigate and deal robustly with those people attempting to smuggle prohibited and illegal items into our prisons. I wish to praise the actions of prison staff in identifying such offences and allowing us to bring the offender to justice.
“I hope this sentence sends out a message to anyone considering bringing contraband into prisons that they will be discovered and prosecuted.”
