Mum who masterminded £1million racket flying drones over prison walls to drop off drugs & phones is jailed
A MUM-of-five who masterminded a £1million racket flying drugs into prison by drone was jailed for six years today.
Lucy Adcock, 47, organised and piloted the machines carrying packages of cocaine, spice, phones and sim cards over the walls of six jails across the country in under a month.
The drones were airborne for up to 22 minutes flying over walls in the middle of the night to drop their illegal cargo into exercise yards.
The value was said to be around £1.42 million in total.
Adcock, the “operational manager”, was caught after drugs were flown into Parc Prison in Bridgend, South Wales.
Detectives were able to download telltale software from the homemade, heavy duty drone found in the boot of her car.
It revealed Adcock had also carried out drug drops at HMP Gartree, Leicestershire, HMP Onley, Warwickshire, HMP Guys Marsh, Shaftesbury, HMP High Down, Sutton, and HMP The Mount, Hemel Hempstead.
Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe said there were 22 “incursions” which dropped 600 grams of cocaine over the walls.
He said: “Adcock played the leading role directing the others in over 20 prison drops in April and May last year.
“One of the drops took place at Parc prison where staff recovered a package containing
“Class A and Class B drugs and mobile phones with a value of £50k on the prison market.”
The packages were wrapped in clingfilm and fish hooks were attached to make it easier for prisoners to snag them after being dropped from the drones.
Police analysts were able to place Adcock in the vicinity of the six prisons through number plate recognition and the mobile phone calls she made to her ground crew.
She has been in custody since her arrest at the Premier Inn, Bridgend in May 2023.
David Pinnell, defending, said Adcock had no previous criminal record but was the “operational manager” and had recruited other people.
She said: “She could not have done more within the prison setting to rehabilitate herself for the offending she was involved in.”
Adcock gained qualifications in hospitality on remand and is due to start work at The Clink, a restaurant run by offenders at HMP Cardiff.
Adcock, of Ruislip, admitted conspiracy to convey an A-list article into prison and conspiracy to convey a B-list article into prison between April 12 and 13 May last year.
She nodded in agreement as Judge Paul Hobson told her she played the leading role and wiped away tears as she was jailed for six years.
The judge told her: “You smuggled items into various prisons – drones were flown 20 times at night into six prisons.
“Those drones dropped off packages containing items of high value, drugs, mobile phones and SIM cards
“It was well planned and well organised – it was a cynical and commercial enterprise.
“You played the pivotal role. You travelled around the country to fly the drones yourself or directing others to do so.
“You gave instructions about timings and the mechanics of the operation including the weight of the parcels.
“You knew it was wrong, serious and it would lead to severe consequences if you were caught.”
Craig Davenport, 46, of Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, was jailed for four years and nine months for his part in the ruse.
Ryan Dorland, 45, of Ruislip, Middlesex, was jailed for four years.
The pair, who flew the drones, admitted the same charges as Adcock.
Two other members of Adcock’s team are due to be sentenced in the coming weeks.
A proceeds of crime hearing will be held later this year.