Prison Drug Smuggle Busted as Woman Caught Trying to Sneak Cannabis Into HMP Lowdham Grange
Suspicious Visit Leads to Drug Bust
Kirstie Mitchell raised eyebrows during a visit to a prisoner at HMP Lowdham Grange. Prison officers employed by Serco spotted something off about her behaviour and kept a close eye on the pair.
Hidden Cannabis Discovered
At the end of the visit, the prisoner was searched and found with two sausage-shaped brown packages stuffed with cannabis and tobacco. Mitchell, 26, from Willow Drive, Groby, Leicestershire, was promptly arrested.
Justice Served
She later pleaded guilty to smuggling a List A prohibited article into the prison. On Thursday 22 July 2021, Nottingham Crown Court sentenced her to eight months behind bars.
“We have a duty to ensure our communities are safe, including the prison community, and that means bringing people like Mitchell – who admitted taking drugs into HMP Lowdham Grange – to justice,” said Neighbourhood Inspector Charlotte Allardice.
“This type of activity jeopardises the good order of prisons and leads to difficult working environments for staff. I hope the prison sentence handed in this case serves as a deterrent for anyone considering embarking on a similar venture.”
Karen Cousins, Serco’s Deputy Director at HMP Lowdham Grange, added: “We have a zero-tolerance policy towards drugs at HMP Lowdham Grange.
I would like to praise the quick-thinking of the Serco prison officers and the police who stepped in to stop this attempt to smuggle drugs into the prison and ensure the perpetrators were brought to justice.”
