Medication smuggled into crisis-hit Welsh jail by drone

Editorial Team
5 Min Read


It comes after a report earlier this 12 months discovered there was an ‘alarming’ circulation of medication into Parc Jail, a few of which entered the jail by way of drones

Two males have been caught smuggling medication right into a crisis-hit Welsh jail utilizing a drone, a courtroom has heard. Nicholas Mann, 34, and Kyle Morris, 24, have been jailed after a package deal containing illicit substances was recovered from the grounds of HMP Parc in Bridgend.

Mann and Morris, each from Bristol, have been caught following an operation by roads policing officers from South Wales Police, who recognized a VW T-ROC linked to drug provide actions inside the space. On June 17, at roughly 11.50pm, the automobile was deserted in a layby close to the A4061, prompting an intensive search by the roads policing and canine items.

In the course of the search officers noticed a drone delivering a package deal to the jail yard earlier than returning to the frequent land. They then noticed Mann and Morris fleeing the scene. For our free day by day briefing on the most important points dealing with the nation signal as much as the Wales Issues publication right here

Officers looked for the boys and Mann was discovered hiding within the undergrowth, whereas Morris was caught red-handed close by with a purchasing bag containing a drone propeller.

Upon arrest officers seized a cell phone from Mann and later recovered a package deal dropped inside the jail grounds. The package deal, described as a black sock with fishing wire, was discovered to include illicit substances believed to be hashish and spice.

Mann, of Duckmoor Street, Ashton, Bristol, and Morris, of Richeson Stroll, Bristol, have been every sentenced to 21 months in jail at Merthyr Crown Courtroom following their convictions for bringing prohibited objects into HMP Parc.

Detective Sergeant Lia Jones stated: “This case highlights the continued efforts of South Wales Police and HMP Parc to fight drug smuggling and preserve security inside jail amenities.”

Earlier this 12 months, a damning report into Bridgend’s Parc jail discovered a failure to deal with an “alarming” circulation of medication led to “a spate of tragic deaths” contained in the jail.

The inspection concluded that requirements had “declined considerably” from 2022 due to non-public safety big G4S successful a 10-year contract to run the jail.

Chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor pointed to severe deficiencies together with cell home windows that may be simply opened from inside, permitting medication to be pulled in from drones.

Final 12 months there have been 17 inmate deaths at Parc — greater than some other UK jail — of which 5 have been drug-related, three self-inflicted, eight of pure causes, and one in every of unknown causes.

Almost a 3rd of random drug check outcomes have been optimistic, some 57% of prisoners stated it was straightforward to get unlawful medication, and 34% had developed a drug or alcohol drawback since arriving on the jail, which has a inhabitants of round 1,700 inmates.

A cluster of 5 drug deaths between February and Could final 12 months have been “doubtless” attributable to artificial opioids, in keeping with the report.

In response to the report into Parc, a G4S spokeswoman beforehand stated: “The primary six months of 2024 have been extraordinarily troublesome and our ideas stay with the households and family members of the boys that handed away. Since then, appreciable work has been carried out to make vital enhancements on the jail.” You’ll be able to learn their full assertion right here.

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