A prison officer has been captured on CCTV taking a 'bulging holdall' full of drugs into jail.
Footage shows Peter Hughes, 32, from Tranmere entering HMP Liverpool with the bag prior to his shift starting in the early hours of April 25, 2020. Hughes was seen entering a prisoner's cell and then leaving 20 seconds later holding an empty bag, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Prison bosses noticed an upsurge in drugs inside the jail and cell searches on one of the wings uncovered numerous banned items, like mobile phones, SIM cards, drugs and tobacco.
After analysis of CCTV was conducted the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit launched a probe into Hughes, and the 32-year-old was subsequently arrested at his home address on April 28, 2020.
During a further search of his house, a large number of steroids, needles, syringes, wipes and a quantity of cash was recovered.
At Liverpool Crown Court, on Friday, May 12, the former prison officer was jailed for four years following a joint investigation between the NWROCUs anti-corruption Unit, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service’s Counter Corruption Unit, and HMP Liverpool.
Hughes pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office, possession of class C drugs with intent to supply, and conveying class C drugs into HMP Liverpool while he worked as a prison officer at HMP Liverpool between October 9, 2017 and April 28, 2020.
He spent money he earned on multiple holidays, a £10,000 wedding, a hair transplant and breast surgery.
Detective Constable Brian Johnston of the North-West Regional Organised Crime Unit’s Prison Anti-Corruption Unit, said: “The conveyance of any prohibited articles into prison presents a risk to both staff and prisoners. Drugs in prison have a detrimental effect on the good order and discipline of the establishment and can be linked to instances of violence, self-harm, bullying, and debt.
"Hughes was financially benefitting from taking drugs into prison which enabled him to live a lavish lifestyle, with multiple holidays abroad, a £10,000 wedding, and trips abroad to have a hair transplant and breast surgery - all paid for with his ill-gotten gains.
“We want to reassure the honest, dedicated, and hardworking prison staff that we will continue to act against any member of staff who chooses to engage in corrupt activity. We encourage anyone who has information about corruption in our prisons to report it.”
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