Former Southport prison officer jailed for drugs offences

A former prison officer has been jailed for a total of five years, four months today (Tuesday 6 August) for drugs offences.

The jailing of 31-year-old Phillip Meadows followed a joint investigation between North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU), and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service.

On 20 September 2018, Meadows, of Carnarvon Road, Birkdale, was subjected to a routine staff search at HMP Liverpool. Drugs dogs indicated on him, and a more thorough search followed.

Staff from NWROCU’s Prison Corruption Unit attended the prison supported by uniformed staff from Merseyside Police and his vehicle, parked in a staff car park, was searched.

A total of 11 tobacco pouches were discovered and after the contents were forensically examined, they were found to contain heroin and cannabis, as well as tobacco. The estimated prison value of the drugs was £95,900.

Meadows was subsequently charged with possession with intent to supply Class A and B drugs.

He pleaded guilty in court and was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court today, Tuesday 6 August.

Detective Inspector Dawn Hampson, from NWROCU Prison Corruption unit said: “This is yet another example of the fantastic collaborative work between NWROCU and the Prison service.

“The vast majority of prison staff do a fantastic job in often challenging circumstances, and it is those honest, hard-working members of staff whose reputation people like Meadows risk damaging.

“I hope the jailing of Meadows sends a strong message to those prison staff who are considering taking contraband into prison, and assures the wider public that we will not tolerate this corruption.

“The public rightly expect that our prisons will be staffed by people who uphold the highest ethical and moral standards, and the rooting out of staff who fall short of that is a key priory for NWROCU.

“We have staff and officers dedicated to investigating prison staff suspected of being involved in the supply of drugs and contraband within prisons, and if they are convicted they will be looking at similar lengths of sentence.

“As a prison officer, Meadows would have known first-hand the dangers drugs have in prisons, and that he would be putting his colleagues at risk of serious assault and prisoners at risk of possible death by supplying illicit drugs.”