Couple conspired from behind bars to smuggle thousands of pounds of drugs into HMP Nottingham

A convicted robber and his girlfriend conspired together to smuggle thousands of pounds of drugs into Nottingham prison. Nottingham Crown Court heard how serving prisoner Mark Staniland arranged from behind bars at the Perry Road jail for Natalie Quinn to use his contacts to bring cocaine in.

It was also suspected that the pair were arranging for paper and envelopes soaked in ‘spice’ or ‘Mamba’ - a synthetic cannabinoid- to be sent to Staniland and his associates in prison.

Police executed a warrant at Quinn’s home address in Merseyside and found Class A, B and C drugs, mixing agents, over £7000 cash hidden in a ‘book safe’ and two high value watches.

The pair were arrested after an intelligence unit found they were arranging the supply of illegal substances into the prison, where Staniland was serving an indeterminate sentence. Evidence from their conversations from prison, messages on mobile phones and ANPR evidence was used to identify five dates in 2021 where Quinn and Staniland had supplied the drugs.

The court was told the total value of all of the substances seized by officers during the investigation to be between £127,000 and £194,000. Following the sentencing this week, Detective Constable Catherine Bolland, said: “Drugs have no place in prison and hinder the rehabilitation of those who are there, often when they are at their most vulnerable.”

“These sentences send a clear message that those seeking to smuggle items into our prisons will be investigated and brought before the courts. Our prison officers are well trained to spot signs of suspicious activity and will continue to work proactively to target those attempting to bring packages into prisons.”

The hearing heard how financial enquiries revealed that Quinn was using one of her bank accounts to receive money from family members of different prisoners who were at HMP Nottingham at the same time as Staniland, many of them being on the same wing.

These ranged from a one-off payment of £20 to the mother of one prisoner who transferred over £1,000 to Quinn between August and October 2021.

In total, she received £1,585 from prisoners’ family members over this time period which are believed to relate to spice paper that she and Staniland were supplying into HMP Nottingham. The same bank account was credited with over £20,000 around the same time period with no evidence of this being any legitimate income.

Following a police investigation, Quinn and Staniland were charged with a string of offences and put before the courts.

Staniland, now of HMP Garth, pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply Class A, B and C drugs – namely heroin, cocaine, a synthetic cannabinoid and bromazolam..

He was sentenced to 12 years and nine months.

Quinn, of Cherry Road, Southport, pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply Class A, B and C drugs – namely heroin, cocaine, a synthetic cannabinoid and bromazolam. She also admitted possession with intent to supply cocaine, a synthetic cannabinoid and bromazolam.

She was sentenced to six years.