Nurse and inmate among 16 sentenced in UK's biggest ever prison drug conspiracy

16 people have been jailed for more than 80 years combined, for their roles in the UK's biggest ever prison drug conspiracy.

They include a prison health worker and an inmate she was in a relationship with, who "flooded" HMP Lindholme in Doncaster with drugs.

In 2019, 38-year-old prison nursing assistant Amy Hatfield, 38, was arrested as she arrived at work.

Police found a number of Class A and B drugs in her possession, including MDMA, bags of ketamine and steroids.

She'd also hidden two litres of liquid spice in four Ribena bottles.

Detectives uncovered a "complex criminal organisation" operating out of HMP Lindholme, which would also provide weapons and other banned items.

Hatfield was working with 15 other people, including Joseph Whittingham, who she was in a relationship with.

Prisoners would place orders through prison drug dealers, including Whittingham, who would then arrange shipments and receive payments.

Whittingham, 35, had a "leading role" in the operation and also recruited his wife Lucy and father Paul to receive payments for the contraband.

Judge Watson said he "exploited" Hatfield's feelings for him and arranged for drugs and other banned items to be delivered to her.

The judge told Hatfield: "When (Whittingham) first expressed feelings for you, instead of reporting it to your supervisors as you were trained to do, you embraced it."

The relationship escalated to "sexual activity within the prison and the exchanging of images", the court heard.

Judge Watson told Hatfield the relationship was "a significant breach of trust" and outlined how she "abused your position to convey prohibited items" into the prison "for financial gain".

"It must have been clear to you the impact that increased drug use was having, and yet you continued to flood HMP Lindholme with drugs and phones. You even brought in a knife," the judge said.

Hatfield was jailed for 10 years and two months at Sheffield Crown Court, while Whittingham received 11 years and four months.

Others sentenced include:

• Kieran Murphy, 26, of HMP Altercourse, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and conspiracy to convey phones into prison. He was also found guilty by jury after a four-day trial at Sheffield Crown Court in June 2023 of conspiring to convey knives into prison. He has today been sentenced to total of seven years and nine months in prison.

• Jordan Needham, 31, of HMP Dovegate, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison, and conspiracy to convey phones into prison. He has today been sentenced to a total of nine years and six months in prison.

• Anthony Campbell, 38, of HMP Dovegate, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison, and conspiracy to convey phones into prison. He has today been sentenced to a total of eleven years in prison.

• Courtney Ward, 26, of Harvey Close, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and conspiracy to supply Class B drugs. She has today been sentenced to a total of four years and six months in prison.

• Audrey Needham, 56, of Comfrey Close, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and money laundering. She has today been sentenced to a total of four years and three months in prison.

• Deborah Stoddard, 56, of Shorefields Village, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison, conspiracy to convey knives into prison, conspiracy to convey phones into prison, and money laundering. She has today been sentenced to total of nine years and six months in prison.

• Leighton Kemp, 29, of Erewash Gardens, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison, conspiracy to convey phones into prison, and money laundering. He has today been sentenced to a total of five years in prison.

• Kora Haley, 30, of Holme Lane, Bradford, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey phones into prison and money laundering. She has today been sentenced to three years and four months in prison.

• Aneeze Williamson, 30, of HMP Leeds, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and conspiracy to convey phones into prison. He has today been sentenced to five years and five months in prison.

• Natalie Williamson, 35, of West Royd Drive, Shipley, pleaded guilty to money laundering and being concerned in the supply of Class B drugs. She has today been sentenced to 12 months in prison.

• Lee Holmes, 44, of Sylvia Terrace, Stanley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison and money laundering. He has today sentenced to a total of two years and three months in prison.

• Lucy Whittingham, 37, from Bradford, pleaded guilty to money laundering. She has today been handed a two year suspended sentence and a community order.

• Paul Whittingham, 59, of Halifax Road, Bradford, was found guilty of money laundering at trial. However, Whittingham was found not guilty of conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison, and conspiracy to convey phones into prison. Today, he was handed a twenty month suspended sentence and a community order in relation to the money laundering offence.

• Lydia Pinnington, 23, of Clieves Road, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to charge of money laundering. She appeared alongside Paul Whittingham on trial charged with conspiracy to convey drugs into prison and conspiracy to convey phones into prison. She was found not guilty of these offences. Today, she was handed a fourteen month suspended sentence and a community order in relation to the money laundering offence.

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