Five crooks have been locked up after a slick bid to bust three prisoners out of Chelmsford Jail went spectacularly wrong. The daring plan, packed with fake release orders and secret messages, was smashed thanks to sharp-eyed prison staff and a blitz by Essex Police.
Fake Bail Orders Fool Prison Staff
Junead Ahmed, 36, was behind bars at HMP Chelmsford for fraud after posing as a doctor and buying a £2 million home he couldn’t afford. While waiting for sentencing in June 2023, Ahmed pulled a fast one. On 21 June, the prison got what looked like a legit email from the Royal Courts of Justice ordering his release on bail.
The message was so convincing that Ahmed walked free. But the lies didn’t stop there. The next day, more dodgy emails arrived demanding the release of two other inmates, Adam Mohamed and Charlie Whittaker.
Prison Staff Smell a Rat, Police Close In
Luckily, prison staff quickly checked with the courts and found out no such release orders existed. Ahmed had been freed by mistake.
Police dug deeper, uncovering secret chats between Ahmed and his wife Nazash Akhtar, plus contacts with co-conspirators. On 23 June, Essex Police raided a Shenfield house after hearing suspicious noises. Ahmed was found hiding in the loft while Akhtar was arrested on the spot.
Charlotte Whittaker, mother of inmate Charlie Whittaker, was nabbed too. Her phone showed she’d been swapping texts with Akhtar and Ahmed, planning escapes for her son and Mohamed.
Police then tracked down Aaryan Noor Ali, 20, the tech whizz who forged the fake bail orders on Ahmed and Akhtar’s orders. He was swiftly cuffed.
Guilty Pleas and Tough Sentences
At Chelmsford Crown Court, Ahmed, Charlotte and Charlie Whittaker, Akhtar, and Noor Ali admitted conspiracy to escape custody. Mohamed pleaded guilty to attempted escape.
- Ahmed, the ringleader who bragged about being a “gangster,” got 3 years and 3 months behind bars.
- Noor Ali received 2 years and 2 months for forging documents.
- Akhtar scored a 2-year suspended sentence after a plea deal.
- Charlotte Whittaker was handed 12 months suspended for 18 months.
- Mohamed got a 12-month suspended sentence.
- Charlie Whittaker’s sentencing is due on 16 December.
Detectives Praise Swift Police Work
Detective Chief Inspector Rob Huddleston said: “This sophisticated escape attempt organised by Ahmed and Akhtar was quickly undone by alert prison staff. We caught Ahmed in the loft and arrested Akhtar at her home. The whole conspiracy came crashing down.”
“It was a complex case but our thorough investigation left no room for doubt about their guilt.”
