Prison Staffer Busted Smuggling £95,000 Worth of Drugs into HMP Garth
Trusted Worker Caught Red-Handed
Julia Watson, 61, a waste management staffer at HMP Garth, has been locked up for four months after police found her smuggling cannabis, ketamine, buprenorphine, and spice into the prison. The drug stash was worth a staggering £95,000.
Watson, who had worked there since August 2015, was arrested in April 2024 and immediately suspended following a targeted search of the A Wing servery on 20 April.
Drugs Hidden in Dishwasher Exposed
Officers discovered a white food tub stuffed with food bags inside a commercial dishwasher. Five tins disguised as branded food products contained synthetic cannabis (spice), cannabis resin, tobacco, and ketamine — cunningly concealed but caught on CCTV.
CCTV and Forensics Nail the Smuggler
Footage showed Watson taking a suspicious route through the prison and driving the waste truck near the search area before the narcotics were found. X-rays confirmed the drugs matched those she brought in earlier that day.
After her arrest on 23 April, police seized her mobile phone, handwritten notes, cash, and other incriminating items from her home. Forensic teams found Watson’s fingerprints on carrier bags containing the drugs.
Inspector Brian Morley, NWROCU Prison Investigation Unit, said: “This case highlights the vigilance of HMPPS staff and the robust security measures in place to prevent drug smuggling into our prisons. The drugs Julia Watson brought in are valued at up to £95,000 and fuel violence, debt, intimidation, and exploitation among prisoners. We remain committed to protecting our institutions from criminal exploitation.”
