Officer found guilty of trafficking drugs into Wormwood Scrubs
A serving prison officer from Wormwood Scrubs has been given a seven year sentence for trafficking drugs and mobile phones into the jail.
30-year-old Patricia Ollivierre pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply drugs and misconduct in a public office after she was found with thousands of pounds' worth of cannabis and heroin, some of which was hidden in her car.
The investigation began last August when Ollivierre was searched when returning to work at Wormwood Scrubs after her lunch break. Prison dogs indicated that that she had been in contact with drugs, but when none were found, officials searched her car, again finding nothing.
The police detained Ollivierre for a more thorough search and on the way to Hammersmith police station, she was asked whether she was in possession of any illegal substances. Ollivierre produced a package from her mouth and said that it was cannabis. This was later found to contain 14 grammes of heroin, worth an estimated prison value of up to £3,000. The value of drugs in prison is estimated at up to ten times that of street value.
£200 in cash were also later found in Ollivierre's car along with a 6"x3"x3" block of herbal cannabis, hidden in a compartment under the passenger seat. This has an estimated prison value of up to £1600. Officers also found a blue and white cling film wrapped package in the passenger seat foot well. This was found to contain three grammes of heroin, worth an estimated prison value of up to £980.
Ollivierre said the drugs must have belonged to a friend, an ex-convict, who she had lent her car to the previous day. She said she knew nothing about the cannabis under the front seat, or the heroin in the passenger foot well.
Metropolitan police officers also examined Ollivierre's mobile phone and found it to contain a number of images of a serving prisoner in his cell, as well as inappropriate, lewd images. A search of the prisoner's cell uncovered an illegal mobile phone.
The Governor of Wormwood Scrubs, Phil Taylor said: "We are always vigilant to the possibility of staff corruption and have stringent measures in place to detect and deal with these matters by gathering intelligence. We proactively support criminal prosecutions where appropriate, and as Governor I will not tolerate staff corruption of any kind. We take misconduct very seriously, and we will ask for the most serious charge to be laid for any individual attempting to smuggle contraband into a prison."
The investigation into Ollivierre was carried out by the London Prison Anti Corruption Team (LPACT) - a joint HM Prison Service (HMPS) and Metropolitan Police unit which specifically targets the trafficking of mobile telephones and controlled drugs into London prisons by staff. This is the first case by the new unit to go through court.
Detective Inspector Mark Teodorini from LPACT, said: “Today’s sentence reflects the serious nature and the harm caused by the corrupt activity of prison officers. Through the hard work and determination of Her Majesty’s Prison Wormwood Scrubs and the Metropolitan police this woman has been given a sentence that reflects the severity of her misconduct. Her Majesty’s Prison service and the Met police, are committed to ensuring those involved in trafficking drugs and mobile telephones into prisons, along with any officer in an inappropriate relationship will be brought to justice.”
26 March 2009
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