How detectives unravelled the UK’s largest prison drugs conspiracy at Doncaster

The four year-long investigation found that members of the group conspired to smuggle over £1million worth of illicit items, including drugs, knives, and mobile phones, into the grounds of HMP Lindholme in Doncaster.

Our investigation started in 2019 when, based on intelligence received, officers began investigating 38-year-old prison mental health nursing assistant Amy Hatfield.

On the morning of 24 October 2019, Hatfield was arrested by DC Scott Jarvis as she arrived for work. Upon her arrest, Hatfield disclosed she had ‘some stuff’ on her. After searching her belongings, officers found MDMA, bags of ketamine, spice paper, vials of testosterone, anabolic steroids, mobile phones, phone accessories, tobacco and other prescription drugs. She also had in her possession four Ribena bottles which contained around two litres of liquid spice. This alone was estimated by prison experts to be worth around £1 million.

The following CCTV footage shows Hatfield arriving at work on the morning she was arrested. The items were found on her person and inside the bag she was carrying a short time later.

Enquiries ramped up and officers identified inmates Joseph Whitingham, who was believed to be in a relationship with Hatfield at the time, and Anthony Campbell, as involved in the distribution of the illicit items inside Lindholme. Cells were searched the same day Hatfield was arrested, and spice paper, notes containing multiple sets of bank details and a charging cable were discovered. The cells of Needham and Whittingham had been searched in the days prior to Hatfield’s arrest and items had been recovered.

The following footage shows Whittingham denying having any illicit items within his cell, before the mobile phone was located.

Our Prison Anti-Corruption Unit's, alongside colleagues from HMP Lindholme, continued their investigations around the clock, and further assessment of mobile phone devices and bank accounts led to officers identifying a wider extended network involved in operating the criminal enterprise inside the prison.

Over the coming weeks, the cell of inmate Jordon Needham was again searched, and a mobile phone, charging cable, USB memory stick, an improvised weapon and drugs were found inside his cell.

Liverpool man Kieran Murphy, who was an inmate at the time, was also identified a key suspect who used Hatfield and other defendants to convey drugs, mobile phones and knives into the prison. The investigation took a sinister twist when information was received that knives, which had been ordered at the request of Murphy and another inmate, were intended to be used to harm a prison officer.

Searches of the wing where Murphy was housed enabled officers to recover three carbon fibre effect lock knives. Further phone work found that Anthony Campbell’s mother, Deborah Stoddard, had bought the knives following the order from Murphy, before Amy Hatfield took them into prison on 12 October.

Officers established there were a number of money launderers involved in the network. On 18 December 2019, the investigation team delivered a 'strike day' involving 60 staff, who executed simultaneous warrants at a number of addresses across the country.

This resulted in the arrest of Lucy Whittingham (the wife of Joseph Whittingham), Audrey Needham (the mother of Jordan Needham), Courtney Ward (the partner of Jordan Needham) and Leighton Kemp (a known criminal associate of Jordan Needham). Paul Whittingham (the father of Joseph Whittingham) was arrested the following day.

On arrest, Courtney Ward tried to delete incriminating messages from her phone between her and Jordan Needham which evidenced in great detail her involvement in the conspiracy. Also in her address were packages containing contraband prepared to be sent into HMP Lindholme, disguised as legally privileged mail. Over the course of the investigation, officers found that Ward was a key player in facilitating and arranging the supply of drugs into the jail.

Leighton Kemp was found to have worked with Needham and Ward to source and deliver contraband to Hatfield’s home address, as well as Doncaster Royal Infirmary, in an attempt to intercept an inmate visiting hospital. Audrey Needham was also found to have assisted in the supply of Class B drugs for her son and his partner, Ward.

In the following weeks, the five were charged with offences linked to the conspiracy.

As the investigation progressed, William Francis, who was already a suspect in an ongoing investigation for conveying Class A and B drugs into Lindholme earlier in 2019, was linked to the group through financial work. Francis was interviewed and later charged.

Across the course of the investigation, officers found that Hatfield had been using three SIM cards to communicate with the network. Lee Holmes, who was living in Durham at the time, was found to have made a number of visits to Barnsley in early October, which coincided with calls made to Hatfield. DNA assessment of the drugs seized from Hatfield on the day of her arrest linked Holmes to the drugs.

Enquiries found that the group explored and utilised a number of methods for conveying contraband into the prison. These included the use of staff member Amy Hatfield, by intercepting inmates visiting hospital appointments, drone drops, catapulting packages over the perimeter, fake legal privilege mail and those visiting inmates socially.

HMP staff became aware of Kora Haley, who was the girlfriend of inmate Aneeze Williamson. Phone analysis found that Haley was making calls to Kieran Murphy and Aneeze Williamson, conspiring to bring mobile phones and Class B drugs into the prison. The following footage shows Haley passing a parcel to Aneeze Williamson on a visit, before Aneeze is apprehended by prison officers. Haley was also phoning and visiting Joseph Whittingham in prison.

When enquiries surrounding Haley progressed, texts were found on her phone to Aneeze Williamson's sister, Natalie Williamson, in which she stated: 'I'm fed up of all this drug money'. This led officers to bring Natalie Williamson into the investigation, and based on phone work, they found messages from her to Haley telling her where to send the money she had laundered on behalf of Aneeze.

Officers also recovered a letter from the prison talking about the goings on within Lindholme. This was found to have been written by Aneeze and linked to him through calligraphy expert assessments and fingerprint work.

Today (27 October), 16 of the 17 defendants have been handed sentences for their roles in the conspiracy.

Detective Sergeant Gareth Gent, who heads up our dedicated Prison Anti-Corruption Unit, said: “The handing of the 17 sentences today marks the end of a unprecedented, four-year investigation into one of the most significant and complex prison conspiracies in the country. 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.

"Today, I want to recognise the dedication and patience of the investigation team, in particular the officer in the case DC Scott Jarvis, who has worked so hard to gather evidence against those involved, and to the specialists who have provided their knowledge and expertise to this case over the last four years. This result could also not have been achieved without working closely alongside staff at HMP Lindholme and the Crown Posecution Service. Without their support, we would not have been able to bring these individuals to justice, and I would like to pass on my thanks to them today.

"While I am pleased today's sentencing sees a number of this group behind bars, our work 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. We know that sadly, the circulation of drugs and other illicit substances and articles causes great misery and violence in our prisons.

"We continue to work closely with the prison service to eliminate this kind of activity in prisons, and are steadfast in our commitment to identifying those exploiting the system. We will ensure those responsible are met with the full force of the law."

Prisons Minister Damian Hinds added: “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, and we have bolstered the Counter-Corruption Unit that works round the clock to clamp down on the tiny minority who undermine the service with their dangerous behaviour.”

The following 16 defendants have today been sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court. Their names, ages, addresses, convictions and sentences are below.

Amy Hatfield, 38, of HMP Newhall, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison, conspiracy to convey phones into prison, conveying knives into prison and money laundering. She has been sentenced to total of ten years and two months in prison.

Kieran Murphy, 26, of HMP Altercourse, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and conspiracy to convey phones into prison. He was also found guilty by jury after a four-day trial at Sheffield Crown Court in June 2023 of conspiring to convey knives into prison. He has today been sentenced to total of seven years and nine months in prison.

Joseph Whittingham, 35, of HMP Leeds, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison, conspiracy to convey a knife into prison and conspiracy to convey phones into prison. He has today been sentenced to total of eleven years and four months in prison.

Jordan Needham, 31, of HMP Dovegate, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison, and conspiracy to convey phones into prison. He has today been sentenced to a total of nine years and six months in prison.

Anthony Campbell, 38, of HMP Dovegate, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison, and conspiracy to convey phones into prison. He has today been sentenced to a total of eleven years in prison.

Courtney Ward, 26, of Harvey Close, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and conspiracy to supply Class B drugs. She has today been sentenced to a total of four years and six months in prison.

Audrey Needham, 56, of Comfrey Close, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and money laundering. She has today been sentenced to a total of four years and three months in prison.

Deborah Stoddard, 56, of Shorefields Village, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison, conspiracy to convey knives into prison, conspiracy to convey phones into prison, and money laundering. She has today been sentenced to total of nine years and six months in prison.

Leighton Kemp, 29, of Erewash Gardens, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison, conspiracy to convey phones into prison, and money laundering. He has today been sentenced to a total of five years in prison.

Kora Haley, 30, of Holme Lane, Bradford, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey phones into prison and money laundering. She has today been sentenced to three years and four months in prison.

Aneeze Williamson, 30, of HMP Leeds, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and conspiracy to convey phones into prison. He has today been sentenced to five years and five months in prison.

Natalie Williamson, 35, of West Royd Drive, Shipley, pleaded guilty to money laundering and being concerned in the supply of Class B drugs. She has today been sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Lee Holmes, 44, of Sylvia Terrace, Stanley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison and money laundering. He has today sentenced to a total of two years and three months in prison.

Lucy Whittingham, 37, from Bradford, pleaded guilty to money laundering. She has today been handed a two year suspended sentence and a community order.

Paul Whittingham, 59, of Halifax Road, Bradford, was found guilty of money laundering at trial. However, Whittingham was found not guilty of conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey drugs into prison, and conspiracy to convey phones into prison. Today, he was handed a twenty month suspended sentence and a community order in relation to the money laundering offence.

Lydia Pinnington, 23, of Clieves Road, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to charge of money laundering. She appeared alongside Paul Whittingham on trial charged with conspiracy to convey drugs into prison and conspiracy to convey phones into prison. She was found not guilty of these offences. Today, she was handed a fourteen month suspended sentence and a community order in relation to the money laundering offence.

A seventeenth defendant, William Francis, 56, of Hogan Gardens, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A drugs (heroin), two counts of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs, and conspiracy to convey drugs into prison. He is due to be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on 15 December.