16 individuals, including a nurse employed at the prison and a prisoner with whom they were romantically involved, have been sentenced to jail for the act of “flooding” the correctional facility with illegal substances.

A nurse and a prisoner who were romantically involved have been sentenced, along with 14 others, for their involvement in a drug conspiracy that is believed to be the biggest in the UK’s history. The group was responsible for smuggling drugs into the prison.

Amy Hatfield, a 38-year-old mental health nursing assistant at HMP Lindholme, located near Doncaster, was found to be smuggling unauthorized packages to inmate Joseph Whittingham. It was discovered that Hatfield had developed an infatuation with Whittingham and the two had engaged in a sexual relationship since 2018.

Last Friday, Hatfield and Whittingham were two of 16 individuals, including fellow prisoners, family members, and associates, who received a combined sentence of over 80 years at Sheffield Crown Court. The 17th defendant, William Francis, will be sentenced at a future date.

The group participated in a trafficking scheme that brought prohibited items, such as drugs, knives, and cell phones, into Doncaster prison from 2018 to 2020.

The Sheffield Crown Court was informed that six of the accused were incarcerated individuals who worked together to run a smuggling operation and sold banned items to fellow prisoners. Other individuals were recruited to bring the items into the prison and deposit the earnings into their bank accounts.

Judge Kirstie Watson described the distribution of drugs such as heroin, MDMA, spice, ketamine, and cannabis within prisons as a significant societal problem while sentencing 16 of the defendants.

The judge informed Hatfield that his relationship with Whittingham was a serious violation of trust.

Judge Watson informed the former nurse that instead of reporting the advances, “you accepted them”. The court was then informed that the relationship became intimate, including sexual activity within the prison and the sharing of sexual images.

Judge Watson accused Whittingham of taking advantage of Hatfield’s emotions for him. Despite trying to shift the responsibility onto Hatfield, the judge concluded that Whittingham was the one who influenced her.

The judge was informed that Whittingham played a prominent role in the operation and also persuaded his wife Lucy and father Paul – who were both given suspended sentences on Friday – to accept payments for the illegal goods.

However, the judge also noted that Hatfield misused her authority to smuggle illegal items into the prison for personal profit. She stated, “You must have been aware of the negative consequences of increased drug use, yet you persisted in flooding HMP Lindholme with drugs and phones. You even introduced a knife.”

Hatfield, an inmate at HMP New Hall, received a sentence of 10 years and two months for admitting to taking part in a plot to distribute class A and class B drugs, smuggling drugs and phones into the prison, bringing knives into the prison, and engaging in money laundering.

Whittingham, a prisoner at HMP Leeds, was given a prison term of 11 years and four months for pleading guilty to participating in a plot to distribute class B drugs and to smuggle drugs, phones, and a knife into the prison.

In September 2019, South Yorkshire Police discovered a smuggling operation after stopping and searching Hatfield on her way to work. Prison experts estimated the contraband to be worth £1m and it consisted of MDMA, two litres of liquid spice disguised as Ribenna bottles, cannabis, ketamine, and mobile phones.

In the following month, Hatfield was arrested after a subsequent search of the mental health unit where she was employed revealed an additional liter of spice.

During a four-year investigation, law enforcement officials uncovered a sophisticated criminal organization operating within HMP Lindholme. This resulted in charges and convictions for Hatfield and 16 others involved in the conspiracy.

Judge Watson told the court that there were seven spice-related deaths at Lindholme between 2018 and 2019, but none in the seven months following Hatfield’s arrest – although the conspiracy did continue after she left.

One of the fatalities was Kyle Batsford, a prisoner at HMP Lindholme who passed away in September 2019 after being coerced into taking the drug spice to determine its strength. The investigation into his death revealed that the drug was widespread in the prison and certain inmates persuaded vulnerable prisoners to use it in order to assess its consequences.

The court was informed on Friday that the toxicology analysis discovered the same type of spice in Batsford’s system at the time of his death, which was also found in a batch of the drug seized from Hatfield during her arrest.

According to court testimony, a prisoner who purchased spice from Jordan Needham, sentenced to nine years in prison on Friday, was hospitalized for 10 days and suffered permanent damage, including the loss of the use of his legs and full sight in one eye.

Judge Watson stated that a total of three litres of spice were seized in the conspiracy case. She calculated this to be equivalent to 216,000 doses, each selling for £50 within the prison.

According to inspectors who visited HMP Lindholme, 21% of the inmates in the South Yorkshire facility have become addicted to drugs during their incarceration. 50% of the 898 male prisoners at the category C prison reported that obtaining drugs was effortless, and some were even brought in via drones.

Substance abuse was a contributing factor to inmates’ financial struggles, leading to increased rates of aggression.

According to HM Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor, rampant substance abuse among prisoners is hindering their rehabilitation in jail and instead putting the public at greater risk upon their release.

Mr Taylor expressed concern about the prison’s recent inspection, citing its failure to effectively manage potentially dangerous inmates and address a significant drug issue. He suggested that this negligence may have exacerbated the risks within the facility.

Damian Hinds, the Minister responsible for prisons, stated that the majority of prison staff are dedicated and trustworthy individuals who strive to reduce crime and keep the public safe on a daily basis.

This situation demonstrates that we are willing to take severe measures against individuals who believe they are exempt from following the rules. Our Counter-Corruption Unit has been strengthened and operates 24/7 to crack down on the small group of people who jeopardize the integrity of our service with their reckless actions.

Here is additional information about the other individuals involved:

Source: independent.co.uk