Officer smuggled drugs into prison in her underwear
A PRISON officer smuggled drugs and phones into prison in her underwear for a convicted killer she fell for.
Gemma Farr, from Draycott, had worked in a prisoner rehab role at HMP Dovegate in Staffordshire for seven years. But she is now behind bars herself, after she was caught abusing her position to deliver contraband to prisoners.
In September 2017, prison bosses alerted police after suspicions were raised over Farr’s conduct amid rumours she’d fallen for an inmate serving a life sentence – who police are not naming and has not been charged with any offences – and her routine of regularly leaving the prison grounds.
Investigators found the 37-yearold had arranged meetings with Salford man Peter Cochrane in pub car parks, where the banned items were handed over. Farr admitted smuggling the drugs into jail by hiding them in her underwear.
Analysis of Farr’s phone revealed calls, texts and WhatsApp messages made from June to September 2017 with a number suspected of being a ‘pool phone’ used by prisoners.
And prison staff also found inmate Ricky Walsh, 34, who is serving a minimum 10-year sentence for robbery and gun possession, trying to flush a phone down his cell toilet during a search.
At Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday, Farr was jailed for 32 months after admitting conspiring to supply steroids and phones into prison. A third charge of misconduct in a public office was left on file.
Walsh − who orchestrated the supply of drugs and phones − will be sentenced later. His partner Louise Brierley, 34, from Ancoats, Manchester, was ordered to carry out 200 hours’ unpaid work after admitting money laundering, taking deposits into her bank account from inmates’ associates. Cochrane, 58, from Salford, Greater Manchester, was handed an eight-month jail term for his part in the supply conspiracy. The case was investigated by the Regional Prison Investigation Team, part of the West Midlands’ Regional Organised Crime Unit, set up in August 2017. It has amassed 20 successful prosecutions against prisoners or prison staff.
Detective Constable Stephanie Petersen, said after the hearing: “This conviction is the result of a year-long investigation. The conspiracy included a prison officer, a convicted prisoner, the prisoner’s partner and an associate used to transport the illicit items.
“This sends a clear message to all those considering smuggling illegal items into a prison, we will investigate offences and the perpetrators risk significant prison sentences.”