A man and a woman have been sentenced for trying to smuggle drugs into prison following an investigation by the South East Regional Prisons Intelligence Team (SERPIT).
At Lewes Crown Court on Friday (April 19), Michael Beirne, aged 41, of HMP Rochester, Kent and Lucy D’Cruze, aged 47, of Bronte Drive, Eastbourne both pleaded guilty to two counts of 'attempting to convey a list A prohibited article' into a prison on behalf of a prisoner.
Beirne was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment and D’Cruze was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years. She must also carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and attend rehabilitation sessions.
On August 31 and September 1 2022, Beirne instructed D’Cruze to put class A drugs, namely cocaine and ketamine, in the male toilets at Royal Sussex Eye Hospital so that a prisoner could collect them and smuggle them into prison.
A prison officer escorting the individual found the drugs on searching the toilets and the drugs were prevented from entering the prison.
Beirne and D’Cruze were charged in September last year.
A SERPIT spokesperson, said:
“This case is an example of the ongoing collaborative work between HMPPS and SERPIT.
“Anyone attempting to organise the supply of drugs into HMP establishments should be warned that they will be identified and prosecuted.”
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