Moment shirtless man fails three times to throw £12,000 parcel of drugs and phone into prison – as he is jailed for nearly four years
Joshua Smith, 30, has been jailed for three years and eight months after throwing a parcel containing drugs and a mobile phone into HMP Hull in East Yorkshire. The incident was captured on CCTV, showing Smith making several unsuccessful attempts before finally getting the package over the prison wall; the parcel was immediately spotted by a prison officer and did not reach inmates. Police said the case highlights the risks posed by attempts to introduce drugs into prisons.
The incident took place on 11 July last year, and the parcel was found to contain an estimated £12,000 of Class A and Class B drugs, as well as a phone. Smith, who was homeless, was identified from CCTV and arrested; he initially denied the act before later responding “no comment” in questioning. He pleaded guilty to two counts of throwing a prohibited article into a prison.
- Man jailed for throwing £12,000 drugs parcel into HMP Hull.
- CCTV showed several failed throws before a successful attempt.
- Prison staff recovered the drugs and phone immediately.
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Prisons restrict items such as drugs and mobile phones because they can fuel criminal activity, debt and violence inside. Anyone who tries to bring prohibited items into a prison, including by throwing them over a wall, can face criminal charges.
HMP Hull is a prison in East Yorkshire. Prison officers use patrols, searches and CCTV cameras to detect attempts to pass items to people in custody, while police investigate those suspected of organising or carrying them out.
Class A and Class B are legal categories used in the UK to classify controlled drugs. The penalties for possessing, supplying or attempting to take such drugs into prison can be severe, particularly where the amount involved suggests they may have been intended for distribution.