In a major development in South Yorkshire Police’s investigation into the largest drug and weapon prison smuggling conspiracy in the UK, 57-year-old William Francis has become the 17th defendant to be sentenced. Francis received a prison term of three years and 11 months, following the sentencing of his 16 co-conspirators in October 2023. Together, the 17 defendants have been handed a collective total of over 88 years in prison.
The court heard that 38-year-old mental health nursing assistant Amy Hatfield had collaborated with the other defendants to smuggle drugs, knives, and mobile phones into HMP Lindholme in Doncaster, with an estimated value of over £1 million. Hatfield was apprehended on October 24, 2019, as she arrived for work. During her arrest, officers discovered a significant quantity of illegal items in her possession, including MDMA, ketamine, spice paper, testosterone vials, anabolic steroids, mobile phones, phone accessories, tobacco, and other prescription drugs. Notably, she was also found carrying four Ribena bottles filled with approximately two litres of liquid spice, valued at over £1 million.
William Francis, who was already a suspect in an ongoing investigation related to the conveyance of Class A and B drugs into Lindholme in 2019, was linked to the group through financial connections during the Prison Anti-Corruption Unit’s investigation. Following interviews and charges, Francis pleaded guilty to several offences, including possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, possession with intent to supply Class B drugs, and conspiracy to convey drugs into prison.
Detective Sergeant Gareth Gent, head of the dedicated Prison Anti-Corruption Unit, expressed satisfaction with the conclusion of the four-year investigation into the complex criminal network operating within HMP Lindholme. He emphasized the significant effort invested in uncovering the activities of the criminals involved, both inside and outside the prison system. With Francis joining 13 of his co-conspirators behind bars, DS Gent underscored the gravity of smuggling dangerous and illegal substances into prisons, which results in misery, violence, and tragic loss of life.
The police’s efforts to combat the smuggling of illegal items into prisons will persist, as they collaborate with partners in the prison service to eradicate such activities. They remain dedicated to identifying those who exploit the system and ensuring that those responsible face the full force of the law.
William Francis, residing in Hogan Gardens, Nottingham, has been sentenced to 47 months in prison at Bradford Crown Court. In total, the defendants have received sentences totalling 88 years and 11 months, with three of them receiving suspended sentences amounting to an additional four years and eight months.
