A female prison officer, Victoria Sked, was sentenced for attempting to smuggle drugs into Lindholme Prison near Doncaster, South Yorkshire. She utilized a Pot Noodle container for this purpose. Sked was one of ten individuals involved in a criminal drug conspiracy, which came to light when police discovered the drugs in her snack pot.

Following her arrest on August 20, 2018, South Yorkshire Police initiated a six-year investigation into the smuggling operation. It was revealed that various substances, including MDMA, steroids, cannabis, and spice, were being brought into the prison, along with mobile phones, through Sked's corrupt actions.

During a search of Sked, officers found a Pot Noodle containing two cling film packages of cannabis and discovered additional class B drugs, MDMA, steroids, mobile phones, tobacco, and a SIM card. A further search of her home uncovered 17 mobile phones, five wraps of cannabis, and over £7,900 in cash. Additionally, 332 sheets of paper soaked in spice were found, intended for smoking.

The investigation revealed further links to others in the smuggling network, including four ex-prisoners. Seven out of the eleven convicted individuals were also guilty of money laundering.

Jack McGlen, a prisoner, was found to be orchestrating a drug-selling operation within the prison with the help of his partner, Alicia Harrison, who assisted him from outside. On December 6, 2019, 10 out of the 11 defendants were sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court.

The total sentence for the smugglers amounted to 25 years and five months in prison. Victoria Sked, aged 32, received a sentence of three years and 11 months for drug smuggling, money laundering, and smuggling mobile phones and SIM cards into the prison.

Those sentenced were:

Victoria Sked, 32, was jailed for three years and 11 months.

Gareth Roberts, 38, received a sentence of three-and-a-half years.

Robert Williams, 35, was sentenced to one year and 10 months.

Simie McGinley, 30, received a sentence of one-and-a-half years.

McGinley’s partner Ayesha Martin, 30, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years.

Jack McGlen, 33, received a four-year sentence.

McGlen’s partner Alicia Harrison, 27, was given a 21-month suspended sentence.

Darren Morgan, 45, received a four-year and 10-month sentence.

Adam Kirk, 34, was sentenced to two years and four months.

Abigail Carter, 24, received a suspended sentence of 16 months.

Diane Monks, 46, of Highfield Villas, Leeds, also pleaded guilty and is set to be sentenced on December 13, 2019.

DC Scott Jarvis of South Yorkshire Police stated: "They all played their part in creating this elaborate web of drug smuggling and money laundering that they thought was intangible."

He added: "It is thanks to the hard work of this unit in bringing the conspirators of these crimes to justice."

Prisons minister Lord James Timpson remarked: “We inherited prisons where drug-taking is rife, fuelled by the work of organised criminal gangs. If our prisons are to create better citizens and not better criminals, we must bear down on the illicit drugs trade. I would like to thank the police for their work, alongside the prison service’s Counter Corruption Unit, in bringing this gang to justice.”

“While the overwhelming majority of our staff are brave and decent public servants, we work alongside the police to catch the minority who are not.”