Prison officers deal drugs and ask inmates for sex, BBC told

 Next to a vandalised wire fence opposite HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, 28-year-old Beatrice Auty brushes away tears. The memories of her time inside the jail are too much to bear.

She served more than a year here for money laundering, and claims she was sexually harassed by a male prison officer.

“He made me feel very uncomfortable,” Auty says. “He commented on my appearance - a lot. He suggested he wanted to come to my cell - I feel if I had been up for it, he would have wanted sexual favours.”

Auty says she reported what happened, and told us she’s spoken to other women who have had similar experiences with the same guard, who made “comments about their breasts” and “how he would want [oral sex] from them”.

With prisons across the country running out of cells and the government releasing offenders early to ease pressure, the BBC has been reporting on the issues facing a system on the brink of collapse.

There are 23,613 prison officers in England and Wales, looking after a prison population of 85,867 inmates.

A record 165 prison staff were sacked for misconduct in the year to June 2024, according to His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). That’s an increase of 34% on the previous year.

Some of the reasons for these dismissals include sex acts and other inappropriate behaviour with inmates, as well as selling drugs and phones - a lucrative trade inside prisons.

In 2023, Auty was convicted of smuggling millions of pounds of criminal cash from London to Dubai, and sentenced to 42 months in prison.

She served 14 months in HMP Bronzefield - the largest prison in Europe for female offenders - before being released on licence, meaning even though she’s been freed she must stick to a set of rules for the remainder of her sentence.

With her hands thrust firmly in her pockets, Auty describes how it was “not uncommon at all” to see prison staff in Bronzefield dealing.

“The drugs would often be transported on the food trollies and then distributed at the other end on the house blocks,” Auty says.

“On one hand you have a prison service that’s meant to be rule-abiding and strict and uphold British values, and in reality you have corrupt officers.”

In response to Auty’s claims, Sodexo, the private company that runs the prison, told the BBC it cannot comment on individual cases, but “where complaints are received about any employee, we undertake all appropriate investigations and take necessary actions as needed”.

Lee Davis was a prison officer from 2006 until 2010, during which time he regularly supplied cannabis, steroids and phones to inmates, getting paid £400-500 for every package he delivered.

After agreeing to take the first package, he describes a “snowball effect”.

“It then became two, and three," he says, "then after package four it was purely about the money.”

Davis was eventually caught and served two years in prison. He’s since turned his life around and works as a bus driver in Lancaster now, but says much more could be done to stop other prison staff dealing inside.

“They’ve got to up the ante by searching officers going in,” Davis says. “I was searched twice in three years and that isn’t good - we need to stop it at the gates.”

A prison officer who doesn't want to be identified who works in a different, government-run English jail, told us it's unsurprising to hear about staff corruption.

She says everyone working in prisons knows drugs are being supplied by officers.

“They know how to fiddle the system - they know better than anyone how to get drugs and phones in - because they know the checks they’ve got to go through," the woman says.

“Some [prison officers] are so young and inexperienced they easily get caught up in organised crime, with gangs inside sometimes putting pressure on them to supply all sorts.

“There’s a power dynamic, and prison officers can feel like they can do what they want - like asking for sex. They can make life difficult for those inside, and they know that.”

There have been several high profile cases this year which convey the problem of prison officer corruption.

Last month, former prison officer Richard Goss was jailed for four years after admitting to smuggling drugs, needles, and mobile phones into HMP Buckley Hall in Rochdale.

Another former officer, Linda De Sousa Abreu, was filmed having sex with an inmate in HMP Wandsworth in London. In July she was convicted of misconduct in a public office after the video went viral on social media.

Corruption inside prisons is now "a greater problem than it has ever been," according to John Podmore, a former governor of several large prisons, including HMP Belmarsh and HMP Brixton, both in London. He oversaw the prison service’s Corruption Prevention Unit and the London Prison’s Anti-corruption Team.

“There is a perfect storm of young inexperienced staff with poor vetting and inadequate training being thrown into a dystopian environment," Mr Podmore says, "where violence and organised crime dominate a failing prison system.”

He estimates the value of drugs traded across the prison estate each year is in excess of £1bn.

No specific qualifications are needed to become a prison officer in England and Wales.

On its website, HMPPS states new recruits will be given a 10-day induction, which includes finding out about prison life and being shown basic security processes.

This is followed by a seven-week training programme, during which trainees are taught how to look after people in custody and de-escalate challenging situations.

Mr Podmore describes this training as “totally inadequate”, and “the worst and shortest of any jurisdiction I have observed over five continents”.

“The vast majority of officers are corrupted as a result of conditioning, manipulation, coercion and blackmail, while being badly trained, poorly led and inadequately supervised,” he adds.

Steven Gillan from the Prison Officer Association told the BBC that, while he defends the vast majority of "hard working and professional" prison officers, he is "not going to sugar coat the issue of corruption” - one he describes as "very real".

“Prisons are complex places and there can be no place or excuse for corrupt staff,” he says.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) says it is “catching more of the small minority who break the rules. This includes by bolstering our Counter Corruption Unit and strengthening our vetting processes.

“Where officers do fall below our high standards, we will always take robust action.”

Prison officer charged with child sex offences

 A prison officer at a privately run male prison has been charged with a number of child sex offences.

Ashley Evans, 36, of Archangel Square, Northampton, has been charged with five offences, including engaging in sexual communication with a child and attempting to arrange or facilitate sexual activity with a child.

Mr Evans, who works at HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough, appeared at Northampton Magistrates' Court on Friday.

No pleas were submitted and he will appear at Northampton Crown Court on 4 July.

The 36-year-old is also accused of attempting to cause a child aged 13-15 to watch or look at an image of sexual activity and possession of cocaine.

A spokesperson for HMP Five Wells said: "We can confirm that an employee was arrested on Wednesday, 21 May by Northamptonshire Police.

"It would be inappropriate for us to comment further."

Ex PC barred from policing for child sex offence

 A former police constable has been found guilty of gross misconduct after being convicted for a child sex offence.

Barry Geering, 44, from London, was found to have breached standards of professional behaviour - namely honesty, integrity and discreditable conduct.

Last month he was sentenced to 28 weeks' imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, after pleading guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child.

At the misconduct hearing on Tuesday, it was determined had he not previously resigned from Wiltshire Police, he would have been dismissed without notice.

He has also been placed on the Sex Offenders' register for seven years, and will be unable to work in policing in the future.

Geering believed he was messaging with a child under 16 when he used Snapchat to engage in sexual communications.

He was arrested in April 2024 as part of an operation by a team at South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU), which worked to tackle offences online including child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Geering was suspended from duty and resigned from the force two months later.

Conduct 'incompatible'

Wiltshire Police Dep Ch Con Mark Cooper said: "Our communities rightly expect the highest standards of professional behaviour from all our officers and staff.

"Geering's conduct is simply incompatible with that expected of Wiltshire Police. As soon as we were made aware of this matter, he was immediately suspended.

"We continue to encourage and enable all members of our organisation to report concerns they have regarding a colleague's behaviour and we won't hesitate to investigate without fear or favour."

My View: No More Excuses, No More Light Sentences

Once again, we see it. Another sick individual walks away with nothing but a slap on the wrist — not because they’re innocent, not because they’ve shown true remorse, and certainly not because justice has been served — but because of the uniform they wear. A police officer. Someone who was meant to protect the public. Instead, they abused their power, destroyed lives, and still managed to get treated with kid gloves by a system that’s supposed to hold everyone equally accountable.

This is a disgrace. It’s a pisstake, plain and simple.

How long do we have to watch this same scene play out before someone in government finally opens their eyes? How many more victims have to suffer in silence while their abusers — especially those in positions of power — get minimal sentences and media spin designed to soften the truth?

Wearing a police uniform doesn’t make you untouchable. It doesn’t make your crimes any less horrific. If anything, it makes them worse. These people are abusing trust, authority, and power — and yet they’re walking free or getting reduced time behind bars because of who they are, not what they’ve done.

What message is this sending to the victims? To the children who have been sexually abused? It says, “We don’t care. Not really.” It says, “You can speak out, but justice might not be on your side — especially if your abuser works for the system.” That’s what they’re hearing. That’s what this looks like.

When is the government going to wake up? When are they going to realise that child sex offences are not minor crimes — they are lifelong traumas. A child’s innocence and sense of safety is stolen forever. They grow up with shame, pain, PTSD, depression, anxiety, and more — and many don’t survive the emotional aftermath.

So why are we still handing out short sentences like it's petty theft? Why are we giving these monsters second chances when they’ve taken so much from their victims?

There should be no leniency for child sex offenders — especially not those who wore a badge. Wearing a uniform doesn’t make you immune to justice — it should mean you’re held to a higher standard. These are not isolated mistakes. These are deliberate acts of harm that devastate lives.

Judges handing out these pitiful sentences are just as guilty of failing victims. They have the power to send a strong message — but time and time again, they don’t. Instead, they protect reputations, not children. They reduce sentences because of “good character” or “community standing” — even when there’s clear evidence of abuse. What “good character” does a child abuser have?

The system is broken. And it’s broken in a way that seems to protect predators more than it protects children.

Child sex offences should carry life sentences. Because that’s exactly what the victims receive — a life sentence of trauma, of trying to rebuild what was stolen, of learning to trust again. The least the justice system can do is reflect that weight in its punishment.

Until then, there is no justice. Just a system full of cowardice, excuses, and people in power looking the other way.

A Tough Week, But Still Standing Strong

Dear all my viewers,

First and foremost, I want to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to visit my blog and support my YouTube channel. Your continued interest, encouragement, and messages mean the world to me.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to upload any new content this week due to a difficult and unexpected development — I’ve been transferred to a different prison, much further away from my family and loved ones. It’s been an incredibly frustrating and disheartening experience.

To be completely honest with you all, I feel let down by the system. After being told I would be moved closer to home, I was instead relocated to HMP Berwyn — which is nearly three times the distance away. The promises made by the staff at Parc, including those from the POM and OMU teams, were simply not honoured. I feel misled and betrayed by people who should have handled things with more honesty and integrity.

That said, I’ve been through worse in my 35 years inside, and I know how to keep pushing forward. This is just another obstacle on the road, and I’ll face it like I always have — head-on and without losing my focus.

Thank you all once again for sticking with me. Your support really helps me stay strong. Please continue to share the blog and the YouTube channel with your friends and family — it means more than you know.

Much love and respect,
Frankie Desmond

HMP Lindholme: UK's biggest prison drug-smuggling gang smashed

A health worker at the heart of the biggest prison drug-smuggling ring ever uncovered has been jailed for more than 10 years.

Amy Hatfield, a mental health nursing assistant at HMP Lindholme in South Yorkshire, "flooded" the jail with drugs by passing packages to prisoners.

She was recruited to the conspiracy by her inmate lover Joseph Whittingham, who was jailed for more than 11 years.

Sixteen people were sentenced for roles in the "complex" operation on Friday.

They included five Lindholme inmates, family members and friends who helped to smuggle weapons and drugs including heroin, MDMA, spice, ketamine and cannabis into the prison and launder the profits.

Inmates could buy almost "any drugs" they wanted inside the prison through the "sophisticated" and highly organised smuggling operation, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

They would place orders through prison drug dealers Whittingham, 35, Jordan Needham, 31, Kieran Murphy, 26, Aneeze Williamson, 30, William Francis, 56, and convicted murderer Anthony Campbell, 38, who used co-conspirators outside jail to arrange shipments of drugs and receive payments.

Knives, mobile phones and prescription drugs were also carried into the jail by Hatfield, 38, as well as by relatives and friends who visited prisoners in Lindholme, where the contraband would sell for up to 10 times its value.

Judge Kirstie Watson said drug-dealing in prison was "an instrument of exploitation, oppression and power" and "undermined discipline and good order" as well as putting inmates' health at risk.

Mobile phone footage obtained by police showed two young inmates under the influence of spice, naked and with makeshift leashes around their necks, being encouraged to "fight like dogs".

Toxicology tests found the spice recovered from Hatfield matched a batch which killed an inmate, Kyle Batsford, who had been bullied into testing the drug in September 2019.

The court heard another inmate was left in a coma for 10 days and permanently lost the use of his legs after he was pressured by Needham into being a "guinea pig" for a new batch of spice.

South Yorkshire Police uncovered the smuggling network after Hatfield, of Hawthorne Street, Barnsley, was caught arriving at work with drugs with an estimated prison value of £1m.

She was arrested in October 2019 after officers stopped her entering Lindholme with MDMA, cannabis and Ribena bottles filled with spice, as well as tobacco, anabolic steroids, mobile phones and chargers.

The nursing assistant had been placed under surveillance by anti-corruption detectives following a tip-off she had begun a sexual relationship with Whittingham, from Bradford, behind bars.

Judge Kirstie Watson said the affair - in which the pair met for sex in prison and swapped explicit photos on secret mobile phones - was a "significant breach of trust and abuse of position".

"When he first expressed feelings for you, instead of reporting it to your supervisors as you were trained to do, you embraced it," she told Hatfield.

The judge said Whittingham had been able to "exploit" Hatfield to smuggle drugs because she was "infatuated" with him and hoped they would set up a life together after his release.

She was paid £1,000 to carry contraband into the prison for inmates and arranged bogus mental health appointments to hand over packages.

The court heard drug use spiked in Lindholme after Hatfield began working in the prison in September 2018 and fell again after her arrest.

"It must have been clear to you the impact the increased use of drugs was having on the prison population and the increased workload and stress on your colleagues,"Judge Watson told Hatfield as she jailed her for 10 years and two months.

Whittingham, one of the leaders of the smuggling network, was jailed for 11 years and four months.

The judge said Whittingham's access to drugs through Hatfield gave him "power in prison and significant financial gain".

Whittingham, who recruited his wife Lucy and father Paul as "bankers" for the conspiracy, boasted to other inmates of the money that would await him when he left prison, the court heard.

In the months following her arrest, police uncovered other routes through which drugs were smuggled into Lindholme as they unravelled what they said was the largest and most complex prison conspiracy ever seen in the UK.

Campbell, who is serving a life sentence for the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old boy in Liverpool in 2004, would receive deliveries from prison visitors arranged by his mother Deborah Stoddard, 56.

Judge Watson said the "well-run operation" had gone undetected for three years and in two previous prisons before Campbell was moved to Lindholme.

"Such was the sophistication of the conspiracy" the pair were able to keep the supply of drugs flowing even when Campbell was placed in segregation, the judge added.

Campbell was sentenced to a further 11 years in prison, to begin when he would have been eligible for parole after his current jail term. Stoddard, of Shorefields Village, Liverpool, was jailed for nine-and-a-half years.

Prosecutors said Needham and his partner Courtney Ward, 26, "exploited almost every possible avenue" to smuggle contraband into Lindholme, including fake confidential mail and an attempt to intercept another inmate's hospital appointment.

Judge Watson said the couple had discussed how they could pay Hatfield to smuggle drugs into the prison "every day".

Needham, who also recruited his mother Audrey into the conspiracy, was jailed for nine-and-a-half years.

The court heard Ward, of Rose Ash Lane, Nottingham, had been in an abusive relationship with Needham since she was 18 and was acting on his orders and under his influence.

But the judge said she had been "instrumental in organising" smuggling from outside prison and sentenced her to four years and six months behind bars.

The other sentences were:

• Murphy was jailed for seven years and nine months for conspiracy to supply class B drugs and conspiracy to convey phones and knives into prison

• Aneeze Williamson, of West Royd Drive, Shipley, was jailed for five years and five months for conspiracy to supply class B drugs and conspiracy to convey phones into prison

• Kora Haley, 30, of Wellington Road, Bradford, was jailed for three years and four months for conspiracy to supply class B drugs, conspiracy to convey phones into prison and money laundering

• Audrey Needham, 56, of Comfrey Close, Nottingham, was jailed for four years and three months for conspiracy to supply class B drugs and money laundering

• Leighton Kemp, 27, of Erewash Gardens, Nottingham, was jailed for five years for conspiracy to supply class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs and phones into prison, and money laundering

• Lee Holmes, 44, was jailed for two years and three months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison, and money laundering

• Natalie Williamson, 35, of West Royd Drive, Shipley, was jailed for 12 months for money laundering and being concerned in the supply of class B drugs

• Paul Whittingham, 59, of Halifax Road, Bradford, was given a 20-month suspended jail sentence for money laundering

• Lucy Whittingham, 37, of St Mary's Square, Bradford, was given a two-year suspended prison sentence for money laundering

• Lydia Pinnington, 23, of Clieves Road, Liverpool, was given a 14-month suspended prison sentence for money laundering.

A 17th defendant, Francis, of Hogan Gardens, Nottingham, has admitted possession with intent to supply drugs and conveying drugs into prison. He will be sentenced separately in December.

et Sgt Gareth Gent, the head of South Yorkshire Police's prison crime anti-corruption unit, said: "The amount of work that went into piecing together the activities of the network of criminals both in and out of the prison system, working to smuggle dangerous and illegal substances into HMP Lindholme for money, is considerable.

"While I am pleased today's sentencing sees a number of this group behind bars, our work to tackle the smuggling of illegal items into prisons does not stop here. Prisons should be places of safety where inmates can get help and support as they work towards rehabilitation."

Prison inspectors this week warned HMP Lindholme had a serious drug problem with many inmates developing substance abuse issues due to "a lack of purposeful activity".

In a report following a "really worrying" inspection in July, HM Inspectorate of Prisons said drones "were often able to fly in contraband undetected" and there was "no routine searching of staff" or X-ray machines at the gate.

An HM Prison Service spokesperson said it was "taking decisive action to address the serious issues raised".

Following Friday's sentencing, Damian Hands, the Prisons Minister, said: "The vast majority of staff in our prisons are hardworking and honest, working every day to cut crime and protect the public.

"As this case shows, we will not hesitate to take the strongest possible action against those who think the rules do not apply to them."

'Predatory' former Herts armed police officer put on sex offenders register - but handed suspended sentence

 Ryan Hill, aged 36, had worked in the Beds, Cambs and Hertfordshire armed policing unit, had persistently contacted the girl across messaging apps – including while he was on duty.

He had been dismissed for gross misconduct in February – but details could not be reported at the time due to an ongoing criminal case, which came to an end last week.

Between February and March 2024, Hill had asked the girl for photographs and meetups.

Hill pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and was sentenced at St Albans Crown Court to 24 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months.

He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for seven years, given a rehabilitation and activity requirement and placed on the sex offenders register.

The former cop had been immediately suspended, then resigned before his misconduct hearing, where he was put on the barred list, meaning he cannot work in the profession again.

At his dismissal hearing, Bedfordshire Police Chief Constable, Trevor Rodenhurst, said: “PC Hill’s predatory behaviour demonstrates a complete lack of integrity and respect to women and children. This was not an error of judgement but a wilful act for self-gratification.

"His persistent and wilful conduct will undoubtedly undermine and impact trust and confidence in Bedfordshire Police and, had police not intervened, he could have continued with this pattern of behaviour, potentially seeking out other victims. His conduct was grossly unacceptable and there is no place in policing for those who perpetrate such behaviour."

my view

This is exactly what I’ve been shouting about in every single one of my previous statements—corrupt coppers abusing their power, again and again, because they’ve got a badge on their chest and a uniform on their back. That’s all it takes, apparently, to get away with the most disgusting crimes imaginable. Flash a badge and suddenly you're above the law. You're untouchable. You're "protected."

Well, here it is in black and white. Hill—a man who swore to protect the public—is now officially known as a pedophile. Let that word hang in the air: pedophile. Not a rumour. Not a maybe. Not something under investigation. He stood in court and pleaded guilty. He admitted to grooming a child. A CHILD. And what punishment does he get? A suspended sentence. He walks free.

What kind of twisted, broken justice system allows that to happen?

What kind of message does that send to victims? What message does that send to other predators hiding in uniform? That it's okay? That they can do it too, as long as they admit it later and say “sorry”?

It makes me sick to my stomach. Because Hill isn't some lone freak—they’re acting like he’s one bad apple. But how many more are hiding in plain sight? How many more names are going to come crawling out of the woodwork, exposed for the monsters they truly are? You think Hill is the last? Absolutely not. There’s a rot in the system, and it’s spreading.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the uniform is a shield—not just from danger, but from consequences. These people hide behind it. They use it as a disguise, a mask, a wall. It gives them power, and they know damn well they can get away with abusing it. They’re not held accountable. They’re not judged like everyone else. They get special treatment—because apparently wearing a badge makes you some kind of saint, even when you’re a predator.

But there’s no hiding anymore. He admitted it. There’s no doubt, no suspicion, no speculation. It’s fact. He groomed a child. A serving officer. And still, they let him walk out of court. No jail time. No justice.

He should be behind bars—rotting. Let him face the same fear and vulnerability he inflicted on that child. Let the inmates deal with him. Because if there’s one place where even the worst criminals draw the line, it’s at predators like him. And honestly? That’s more justice than the system gave.

And don’t think this is isolated. No, what do they do instead of holding people like this accountable? They’re shutting down front desks. Closing off public access to the police. They say it’s budget cuts—bullshit. They’re trying to shut us up. Keep us out. Make it harder for ordinary people to ask questions, to report misconduct, to challenge corruption. It’s not about saving money—it’s about saving face.

I’m angry. I’m beyond angry. I’m furious. And I’m not the only one. People are waking up to the fact that this system is broken. That too many in power are rotten to the core. And until we start seeing real justice—until predators in uniform get treated like the criminals they are—none of us are safe.

We don’t forget. We don’t forgive. And we won’t stay silent.