Former Yorkshire prison officer jailed for smuggling drugs she claimed not to know about

In December 2021, supervisors at Holme House Prison in Stockton spoke with Amy Johnston, 35, after receiving information suggesting she had been bringing drugs into the prison.

The 35-year-old admitted she had twice met with some unknown men who had given her three parcels in total to smuggle into Holme House and pass to a prisoner.

However, Johnston claimed not to know the content of the parcels.

Johnston then returned to the same industrial estate on Cargo Fleet Lane to meet the same men and received a few hundred pounds in payment, a court heard.

Johnston was arrested at her place of work on Christmas Eve 2021 and was brought into police custody to be interviewed.

She admitted to detectives from Stockton CID that she’d brought Pregabalin tablets into Holme House Prison on two separate occasions.

Further extensive enquiries then took place, with specialist officers from Cleveland Police obtaining and trawling a huge amount of CCTV footage.

The court heard how others carried out detailed searches of her vehicle, digital devices and Middlesbrough home.

Johnston attended Teesside Magistrates Court in September and was bailed from there until her sentencing on Friday (Nov 29).

Officer in the case Detective Constable Nigel Rusby said: “Johnston’s enormous lack of judgement has had far reaching consequences – not least that her prison career is over and she herself will now spend time in jail.

“I’d like to thank our colleagues within the prison service for their support throughout this investigation and I hope today’s result shows that Cleveland Police takes allegations of this nature extremely seriously.

“Anyone in a position of authority and trust who believes they can carry out such activity should be warned that they will be found out and they will be dealt with.”