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Nottinghamshire prison worker passed drugs to inmates

Nottinghamshire Police Rachel TaylorNottinghamshire Police
Rachel Taylor played "critical part in the conspiracy", police have said

A prison worker has been jailed for passing cannabis, spice and mobile phones to inmates.

Rachel Taylor, 24, of Merrill Way, Derby, was employed as an administration assistant at HMP Lowdham Grange, Nottinghamshire, in March 2016.

She was later linked to a plot to traffic drugs and phones at the prison after a cell was searched.

Taylor was sentenced to two-and-a-half years for possession with intent to supply Class B drugs.

At Nottingham Crown Court, Taylor was also found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, conspiracy to convey mobile phones and Class B drugs into prison and possession of criminal property.

Police said three months after Taylor started working at the category B jail, suspicions were raised about her "inappropriate relationships" with prisoners Raphael Davis and Jordache Smith-Challis.

In December 2016, a search of their cell led to the recovery of phone parts and drugs.

A diary was also found which linked Taylor to the plot over a seven-month period, police said.

Money was also found to have been transferred into her bank account by Davis, his girlfriend and Smith-Challis's mother.

Det Insp Jim Heggs said Davis and Smith-Challis conducted a "profitable business" from prison, "corrupting" Taylor and their own families.

He added that Taylor played a "critical part in the conspiracy".

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All defendants, along with Taylor, pleaded guilty at Nottingham Crown Court and were sentenced between 3 and 5 December.

  • Raphael Tyson Davis, 27, of no fixed address, jailed for four years for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and conspiracy to convey Class B drugs into prison
  • Jordache Smith-Challis, 24, of no fixed address, jailed for three years for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and conspiracy to convey Class B drugs and phones into prison
  • Cherrice Bennett, 26, of Tile Croft, Stourbridge, Dudley, received a four-month custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months, and 100 hours of unpaid work for possession of criminal property
  • Shelagh Challis, 43, of Bexhill Road, Brighton, received a 12-month community order for possession of criminal property
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