Drug smuggling and money laundering gang who targeted Doncaster prison jailed
A group of drug smugglers and money launderers - including a prison officer, multiple inmates and their relatives – have been jailed for over 25 years following a lengthy police probe at a Doncaster jail.
A six-year inquiry by South Yorkshire Police’s Prison Anti-Corruption Unit saw 11 defendants admit the roles they played in helping to smuggle MDMA, steroids, Spice, cannabis, mobile phones and other banned items into HMP Lindholme between August 2018 and July 2019.
Officers unravelled a complex criminal network, which began when a search of prison officer Victoria Sked’s bag led to the discovery of an open Pot Noodle with two cling film wrapped packages inside it.
The 26-year-old, who was just days away from leaving her role in the prison service, was arrested on suspicion of conveying prohibited articles into prison, with the packages found to have contained quantities of suspected cannabis.
A picture of mobile phones, chargers and Kinder Egg holders were found on Sked's phone.
Further searches were carried out on her person, which recovered MDMA, psychoactive substances, more cannabis, vials of steroids, mobile phones, tobacco and a SIM card.
A search of her home then led to officers finding a huge stash of illicit articles, including 17 mobile phones, 332 sheets of Spice paper, five iPhones, five wraps of cannabis and over £7,900 in cash.
The arrest of Sked saw other accomplices brought to the fore, with enquiries by the force’s Prison Anti-Corruption Unit linking Ayesha Martin to Sked through financial work.
Martin is the girlfriend of HMP Lindholme inmate Simie McGinley, and further evidence gathering led to the recovery of CCTV footage which showed Martin arriving at Sked’s address with packages and leaving without them on seven separate known occasions.
Phone work showed that Martin and McGinley were involved in conspiracies to supply phones and drugs both inside HMP Lindholme and HMP Hewell, where McGinley was previously an inmate, with photos recovered which show Martin holding cling film-wrapped packages believed to contain mobile phones and SIM cards.
A search of a prison spur led to the discovery of four mobile phones which had been hidden in a DVD player.
Analysis of these phones saw one attributed to inmate Robert Williams, with analysis of the device showing that he was involved in drug supply within the prison and had been making arrangements to convey drugs into HMP Lindholme.
More phone analysis saw another device attributed to Gareth Roberts, who was investigated and implicated for drug smuggling alongside his partner Diane Monks who was caught trying to smuggle Spice into the prison during a visit in November 2018.
Another inmate, Jack McGlen, and his partner Alicia Harrison were also investigated and deemed to have been involved in the criminal network.
Financial work linked Harrison to multiple HMP Lindholme inmates and showed she was involved in money laundering, with phone work showing McGlen was running a drug selling operation inside the prison.
Three other external associates were also deemed to have been involved in the conspiracy to supply illegal drugs,
Today (Friday 6 December) at Sheffield Crown Court, 10 defendants were sentenced to a total of 25 years and five months in prison, with their guilty pleas and sentencings as follows:
Gareth Roberts, 38, of Manor Farm Drive, Leeds (HMP Lindholme inmate at the time of offending): Drug smuggling (cannabis and Spice) and possession of a prohibited article (mobile phone) – jailed for three-and-a-half years
Robert Williams, 35, of Brignall Garth, Leeds (HMP Lindholme inmate at the time of offending): Drug smuggling (cannabis and Spice) and possession of a prohibited article (mobile phone) – jailed for one year and 10 months
Victoria Sked, 32, of HMP New Hall (prison officer): Drug smuggling (cannabis, steroids, MDMA and Spice), money laundering, and smuggling mobile phones and SIM cards into prison – jailed for three years and 11 months
Ayesha Martin, 30, of Baring Gould Way, Wakefield (partner to McGinley): Drug smuggling (cannabis, Spice and steroids), money laundering, and smuggling mobile phones and SIM cards into prison – jailed for three-and-a-half years
Simie McGinley, 30, of HMP Stocken Hall (HMP Lindholme inmate at the time of offending): Drug smuggling (cannabis, Spice and steroids), money laundering, smuggling mobile phones and SIM cards into prison, and possession of a prohibited article (mobile phone) – jailed for one-and-a-half years
Jack McGlen, 33, of Woodbridge Lawn, Leeds (HMP Lindholme inmate at the time of offending): Drug smuggling (cannabis and steroids), money laundering, and possession of a prohibited article (mobile phone) – jailed for four years
Darren Morgan, 45, of Renee Close, Bradford (external associate): Drug smuggling (Spice), money laundering and possession of diamorphine and cocaine with intent to supply – jailed for four years and 10 months
Adam Kirk, 34, of Fir Tree Approach, Leeds (external associate): Drug smuggling (cannabis), dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, without insurance and while over the specified limit for drugs – jailed for two years and four months
Alicia Harrison, 27, of Woodbridge Crescent, Leeds (partner to McGlen): Drug smuggling (steroids) and money laundering – given a 21-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months
Abigail Carter, 24, of Alderley, Skelmersdale (sister to HMP inmate): Drug smuggling (cannabis) and money laundering – given a 16-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months
An eleventh defendant, Diane Monks, 46, of Highfield Villas, Leeds, was Roberts’ partner and pleaded guilty to smuggling cannabis and Spice. Her case was adjourned and she is due to be sentenced next Friday (13 December) at Sheffield Crown Court.
A twelfth defendant, Lydia Ratcliffe, 30, of Chestnut Grove, Leeds, was given a 12-month conditional discharge at Sheffield Crown Court in July 2024 after pleading guilty to causing a communication by contacting inmates on contraband phones from her mobile phone under Section 40D of the Prison Act 1952. She was found not guilty of a money laundering offence.
Detective Constable Scott Jarvis, who is the officer in charge of this case, said: “This investigation has spanned over half a decade with hours of phone work, forensic analysis and financial enquiries carried out to dismantle this complex criminal network operating both inside and outside the prison.
“They all played their part in creating this elaborate web of drug smuggling and money laundering that they thought was intangible, and it is thanks to the hard work of this unit in bringing the conspirators of these crimes to justice.
“Today’s result is testament to the efforts of the unit, as well as specialists who have provided key knowledge and expertise to help us progress this case, and staff at HMP Lindholme who have supported us in our operations.
“Due to the complexities of our investigations, it can take a significant period of time for court cases to progress and for justice to be delivered but I want the public to know that we are never resting on our laurels.”
Detective Sergeant Gareth Gent, who heads up SYP’s Prison Anti-Corruption Unit, said: “Every day we work with prisons in Doncaster to tackle the drug and mobile phone smuggling, money laundering and other criminality that takes place within these establishments as we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour.
“Prisons should remain free of criminality and should provide an environment where people who have committed crimes can rehabilitate, and we will continue to work closely with the prison service to stamp out any behaviour that goes against these values.
“Our team remains steadfast in its dedication to eliminate criminality in our prisons and I hope today’s sentencing shows that anyone responsible for committing crimes in prisons will be dealt with by the full force of the law.”
Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, Lord James Timpson said: “We inherited prisons where drug-taking is rife, fuelled by the work of organised criminal gangs. If our prisons are to create better citizens and not better criminals, we must bear down on the illicit drugs trade.
“I would like to thank the police for their work, alongside the prison service’s Counter Corruption Unit, in bringing this gang to justice. While the overwhelming majority of our staff are brave and decent public servants, we work alongside the police to catch the minority who are not.”