A prison officer who was caught smuggling drugs into Erlestoke Prison in Wiltshire, England where she worked has had her sentence increased.
The increased sentence follows an intervention by the Solicitor General, Rt Hon Michael Ellis QC MP.
Hannah Gaves, 27, was a prison officer at HMP Erlestoke in January 2019. After receiving information that Gaves was smuggling illicit items into the prison, she was searched and found to be in possession of some cannabis, cigarettes and 6.05g of crack cocaine.
Gaves admitted possession of the cigarettes and cannabis but denied knowledge of the cocaine.
But Lord Justice Davis said: "That was not the whole truth because, when she was searched, not only was a quantity of cannabis and five packets of tobacco (found) ... in addition, and hidden in her underwear, was a lump of a white substance wrapped in cling film."
In a police interview, she stated that she felt under pressure from an individual who would harm her if she did not smuggle in the contraband. She refused to name the individual concerned.
Gaves pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A and B drugs, as well as attempting to bring List C prohibited articles into a prison.
She was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment on August 28 at Salisbury Crown Court.
The sentence was referred to the Court of Appeal by the Solicitor General under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme. Today, the sentence was found to be unduly lenient and increased to four years’ and eight months’ imprisonment.
After the hearing at the Court of Appeal the Solicitor General, Rt Hon Michael Ellis QC MP, said: “Gaves intentionally smuggled contraband into prison with the intention of supplying dangerous drugs.
“She betrayed the trust inherent in her office. The decision by the Court of Appeal to increase her sentence today was the right one.”
Source: Independent UK
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