Four criminals have been convicted after a crooked prison officer helped smuggle cannabis and tobacco into HMP Birmingham. The scandal exposes shocking abuse of trust inside one of the UK’s toughest jails.
Inside the Smuggling Ring
West Midlands Police revealed their investigation had unearthed the scheme involving Carla Moskot-Brettell, a 35-year-old prison custody officer at HMP Hewell. She teamed up with her partner, inmate Darren Oakes, and two accomplices, Louise Docker and Patricia Bucknell.
The gang planned to sneak drugs into the prison by wrapping cannabis in cling film, placing it inside surgical gloves sourced by Moskot-Brettell. To throw off sniffer dogs, the packages were coated with spices. Bucknell smuggled the contraband in during social visits with Oakes.
Once inside, Oakes would swallow the packages hidden in food orders, then fake vomiting to retrieve and consume the drugs in his cell.
Swift Justice at Wolverhampton Crown Court
- Carla Moskot-Brettell: 3 years 9 months imprisonment
- Darren Oakes: 3 years 9 months imprisonment
- Louise Docker: 2 years 3 months imprisonment
- Patricia Bucknell: 2 years 3 months imprisonment
All four pleaded guilty and were sentenced last Friday (28 Nov) for their roles in this brazen operation.
Police Condemn Corrupt Conduct
“Moskot-Brettell abused her position as a prison officer to support criminality that put contraband inside the very prison she worked for,” said Detective Constable Adam McHugh of the West Midlands Regional Prison Intelligence Unit. “Her behaviour undermines public trust. Alongside her co-conspirators, she now faces time behind bars.”
This case highlights a fierce crackdown on corruption and corruption among prison staff, reinforcing the pledge to keep jails safe and secure.
