Drone gang flew £1.7m of drugs into jail for Liverpool prisoners to sell

A gang who used drones to smuggle items into prison have been jailed for a combined total of more than 30 years.

Two inmates from Liverpool, at HMP Risley in Warrington, would collect the drones containing drugs, mobile phones and SIM cards and then sell them in prison. Five other gang members, who were responsible for setting up the drone flights between August and December 2020, were also jailed.

Drones dropping off items to Charlie Swann, 26, and Aaron Dodd, 31, were spotted by prison officers within the grounds over a number of weeks. At around 10.26pm on Monday 28 September 2020, a drone flight was reported over the prison.

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The following day prison officers conducted a cell search, where a package was located containing heroin, cannabis, two iPhones and nine SIM cards. Following the initial search, the cell of Charlie Swann was also searched and four micro mobile phones were seized.

The gang's activity further increased on Thursday, October 15, 2020, with yet another drone sighted. Another drone was also spotted over C wing at HMP Risley on Monday, December 28, 2020.

An investigation by Cheshire police then led to the raids of addresses in Crewe and Alsager. During the warrants, officers recovered various items including; class A and B drugs, cash, mobile phones and four drones.

Aaron Dodd, 31, of HMP Altcourse, Liverpool, was jailed for conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs and list B articles into a prison - 7 years, 10 months. (Cheshire Police)

Thurlus Smith, 33, Matthew Cooke, 33, Katie Bickerton, 22, and Daniel Johnson, 28 and Nicole Sims, 27, were all arrested and later charged for purchasing and supplying the items, flying them into the prison and managing payments totalling in the tens of thousands of pounds.

A drug expert witness estimates that the value of the drugs involved was between £347,000 and £1,700,000. After gathering a catalogue of evidence all seven defendants were charged with and pleaded guilty to their involvement in the case.

The five men and two women responsible for the activity appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, June30, where they were sentenced to the following:

1. Thurlus Smith, 33, of Waldrons Lane, Crewe, conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs and list B articles into a prison - 6 years and 1 month.
2. Matthew Cooke, 33, of Grove Court, Alsager, conspiracy to supply class B drugs and list B articles into a prison -2 years, 5 months.
3. Katie Bickerton, 22, of Barnabas Avenue, Crewe, conspiracy to supply list B articles into a prison and possessing criminal property - 19 months, 2 year suspended sentence.
4. Daniel Johnson, 28,of Woodside Avenue, Alsager, conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs and list B articles into a prison and possessing criminal property - 6 years, 5 months.
5. Nicole Sims, 27, of Lawton Road, Alsager, possessing criminal property - 9 months.
6. Charlie Swann, 26, of Rumford Street, Liverpool, conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs and list B articles into a prison - 7 years, 10 months.
7. Aaron Dodd, 31, of HMP Altcourse, Liverpool, conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs and list B articles into a prison - 7 years, 10 months.