Burglar and wife in plot to smuggle phones and steroids into HMP Birmingham using corrupt guard

Yahoo

8 hours ago

A convicted burglar and his wife smuggled steroids, mobile phones and tobacco into HMP Birmingham with the help of a prison guard.
David Bradley pressured his partner Tanya Parker to obtain the in-demand items and provide them to corrupt officer Christopher Lawley, who was paid around £2,000 to bring them in to the Winson Green jail.
But the scheme was busted after the guard sparked suspicions due to the shape of the bag he was carrying in.
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Four packages of illegal items were subsequently recovered, including from a waste bin and the urinals.
Bradley, aged 34, and Parker, 36, both of Hermes Crescent, Coventry and who have four children together, were spared jail at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday, June 26.
But Judge Dean Kershaw blasted Parker in particular for falling pregnant having warned her previously she could be sent to prison.
He questionned why she did not use contraception and accused her of trying to 'manipulate' the system to avoid custody.
Both pleaded guilty to two offences of conspiring to convey prohibited articles into prison while Bradley also admitted an offence related to illegally having a mobile phone in prison.
Bradley had been remanded to HMP Birmingham having carried out a number of domestic and commercial burglaries which involved ripping out ATM machines. He later received lengthy jail sentences.
Lawley, who was jailed earlier this year for his involvement in the contraband scheme, had been a prison officer on the K Wing.
Prosecutor Simon Rippon said: "Matters came to a head on the 30th of June 2019.
"Prison officer Lawley was suspected to have carried illegal articles into the prison at the start of his shift on that date.
"He was detained at the conclusion of his shift. A search was conducted of the wing.
"A list of items were recovered from a number of packages."
He stated Bradley carried out a 'key role' in identifying the in-demand items to Parker in calls made from a phone he was using illegally from prison.
Steroids were also found at their home while Parker had received more than £3,800 in payments to her bank account.
John O'Higgins, defending Bradley, stated he took 'full responsibility' for the racket and was 'ashamed' of involving his wife in it.
But he argued the way in which his separate burglary cases had been handled had resulted in an 'extremely prejudicial' delay in the case.
The barrister told the court Bradley had 'done everything right' since being released last October, including not reoffending, obtaining work at a carpet business and fully complying with his strict licence conditions which are due to last until 2029.
Mr O'Higgins said: "For a man who has done everything required of him and who has served a substantial prison sentence - effectively double figures - it would be wrong in principle to send him back to prison for these offences."
He added: "He has rebuilt himself in every possible way."
Cathlyn Orchard, defending Parker, told the court at the time of the offences she was left to look after their four children while Bradley, who she has been with since the age of 16, was in jail.
She said: "She was put under enormous amounts of pressure and did make a mistake in that situation.
"She was put into an impossible situation by her partner."
But in an extraordinary twist the barrister told the court Parker was currently seven weeks pregnant.
In response Judge Dean Kershaw expressed dismay and questioned whether she used contraception.
Ms Orchard initially replied that she had not 'gone into that detail' with her client, adding the pregnancy was 'unplanned'.
Then, after speaking to Parker in the dock at the back of the court she confirmed she had not been taking the pill and did not know why.
Judge Kershaw said: "What did she possibly think - having had children - happens? That some angel would come down and stop her getting pregnant?
"It looks to me she is trying in some way to manipulate the process thinking this will be extra mitigation. It won't. It won't work with me."
Moving to sentence he said: "The presence of unauthorised mobile phones and other contraband in prison undermines security and adds to crime. It is well-established just how serious it is."
Judge Kershaw told Parker her pregnancy did not impact his decision, before concluding the public 'do not need protection from you'.
He sentenced her to an 18-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and 30 days of rehabiliation.
Judge Kershaw told Bradley he was the 'leading light' of the scheme who put 'undue pressure' on his wife and abused her loyalty.
Initially he announced a sentence of 27 months - too high to be suspended - but then he took an 'exceptional course' and reduced it to the 24-month threshold saying 'I believe you have changed'.
Judge Kershaw added: "I'm satisfied you can lead a good and productive and from now law-abiding life.
"I am sure the public don't need protection from you beyond the strict licensing provisions currently in place.
"The hard work you have done over the last number of years in prison and now out of prison will be lost if I send you to prison immediately, so I'm not going to do that."
Bradley was sentenced to 24 months suspended for 18 months as well as ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work and 30 days of rehabilitation activity.
Lawley, aged 43, of Bexley Grove, West Bromwich had admitting three offences of conveying or conspiracy to convey prohibited articles into prison.
He was sentenced to two years and two months at hearing in May this year.