Doncaster mother and son sentenced over prison drug smuggling conspiracy

A Doncaster mother and son have been sentenced, after conspiring to smuggle drugs into HMP Doncaster.

Joshua Deere, 26 and of Manor Estate, was serving time inside the prison when he enlisted his mother to help him smuggle illicit contraband in.

Dawn Haslam, 52 and of Wensley Crescent, visited Deere behind bars in February 2022.

Prison officers became suspicious after Deere was seen with his hands down his trousers during the visit.

CCTV footage showed Haslam hand Deere an item, which turned out to be a small foil wrap containing a mobile phone charger.

Cannabis was later discovered at Haslam's home.

Both pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply cannabis and conspiring to bring a List B prohibited article into a prison, namely a phone charger.

Deere was jailed for two and a half years at Sheffield Crown Court, while Haslam was handed a 12 month suspended sentence.

Detective Chief Inspector Tom Bright, of South Yorkshire Police, said:

"Drugs have no place in our prisons.

"We remain dedicated to combatting the illegal supply and movement of drugs and other illicit articles inside prison establishments, and anyone who is foolish enough to try and help smuggle these items in will be dealt with accordingly."

First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app.