Prison Officer In Kent Jailed

11 May 2019, 10:04 | Updated: 11 May 2019, 12:05

A prison officer who supplied drugs to an inmate at HMP Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey has been jailed for two years and eight months.

Martin Fazakarley, 44, of Royal Road, Sheerness, was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday 10 May 2019 alongside Madeline Cherry, 28, of York Road, Gravesend, after both admitted conspiring to convey prohibited items into a prison. Cherry was jailed for 15 months.

The inmate who received the drugs, 36-year-old Kevin Hutchinson-Foster, pleaded guilty to the same offence but will be sentenced at a later date.

The court heard how on Tuesday 24 April 2018 a staff search was undertaken at the prison. Fazakarley was on duty at the time and on seeing the searches taking place spoke to a member of the security department and admitted he was carrying prohibited items.

He produced two specially-adapted crisp tubes and a drinks bottle that contained cannabis, crack cocaine and tobacco, which he told staff were intended for Hutchinson-Foster.

Fazakarley was arrested and taken into custody at Medway Police Station.

Later that day other prison officers conducted a search of Hutchinson-Foster’s cell. They found a mobile phone and a number of drinks cans that had all been adapted in a similar way to the ones seized from Fazakarley.

Through their enquiries police established that Cherry was an associate of Hutchinson-Foster, and seized her phone during a search of her home address. On it they discovered a video clip of her meeting with Fazakerley and handing over a package.

Fazakarley claimed in interview that he did not realise he was carrying crack cocaine and believed the package contained only cannabis.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Simon Mather said: ‘This was a calculated plot to convey a large quantity of drugs into prison. The estimated street value of the drugs seized is thought to be around £15,000.

‘Fazakarley breached the trust placed in him by his employers for his own financial gain and the sentence issued reflects the severity of the crime he has committed.’