TEN people have been charged on suspicion of using drones to smuggle drugs into jails across England, including HMP Hewell.

Officers carried out dawn raids at addresses in the Black Country and Birmingham on March 14 and arrested eight men and two women on suspicion of conspiracy to drop class A and class B drugs and psychoactive substances over prison walls.

It’s believed the group may have delivered up to 90 consignments of drugs, plus phones and SIM cards, using drones between April 2016 and June last year, including into Tardebigge prison HMP Hewell.

The 10 people have now been charged with three counts of conspiracy to supply drugs, psychoactive substances and banned items, and will appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court today (March 15). 

The ten charged are:
•    Paul Payne aged 33 from Broad Street, Coseley 
•    Callum McDonough aged 25 from Shenley Field Road, Northfield 
•    Shane Hadlington aged 29 from Sycamore Lodge, Oldbury
•    Hannah Williams aged 34 from Horton Street, Tipton
•    Stella Deakin aged 40 from Boundary Hill, Dudley 
•    Richard Harrabin aged 27 from Perton Grove, Weoley Castle 
•    Jake Blewitt aged 20 from Highfield Road, Tipton 
•    Dwayne Tinker aged 20 from Lindridge Drive, Minworth 
•    Ryan Greaves aged 21 from Kimberley Walk, Minworth 
•    Robert Morris aged 43 from Sedgeley Road West in Tipton

It’s alleged they’ve used drones to fly drugs into prisons including HMP Birmingham in Winson Green; HMP Oakwood and Featherstone; Worcestershire’s HMP Hewell; HMP Risley in Warrington; HMP Wymott in Lancashire and HMP Liverpool.