Fears drones could drop guns into prisons

Drones delivering weapons into England’s two highest security prisons pose a national security threat, the prison watchdog has warned.

The chief inspector of prisons, Charlie Taylor, said drug drops for prisoners at HMP Manchester and HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire have now become so routine that guns could be smuggled in.

Both prisons house some of the country’s most dangerous people, including terrorists, murderers and organized crime gang bosses.

He told BBC News that prison authorities have “given up airspace” over prisons and the risk of armed violence, escape and hostage-taking is increasing.

Mr Taylor’s warnings come amid damaging reports about concerning conditions in maximum security prisons.

Their inspection teams found serious and repeated failures in safety and security, including clear evidence of gangs arranging air deliveries of items including weapons, drugs and phones to prisoners.

“This is a national security threat,” Mr Taylor said.

“The potential for serious weapons to reach our prisons in increasing numbers means there is a risk, particularly with these Category A prisons, particularly with some of the most at-risk people in the country who are either involved with organized crime gangs or Are they or are they terrorists?

“The possibility of them being able to commit serious crimes within prison, or potentially being able to escape or create a hostage-like situation, is a huge concern.”

Mr Taylor said gangs were now using drones carrying up to 3 pounds (1.3 kilograms) of contraband into prisons.

Prisoners had organized the delivery of “zombie knives” and firearms may have followed.

“Knives are really coming in,” he said. “It is entirely possible that someone could get a gun if they were determined.

“If someone is able to carry a weapon into the prison, the inmate can use it to potentially take a hostage or threaten staff to be able to get to the gate.

“There is also a possibility that someone could be picked up by a drone.

“It is unlikely but… it is something that the prison service, police and security services everywhere will have to work on.

“In fact, what we are seeing is that the airspace above our prisons, which house some of the most at-risk people in the country, is being handed over to organized crime gangs.”

The report shows that CCTV and anti-drone netting failed in both Manchester and Long Lartin.

Manchester officers would regularly make rounds of the prison at night to see the equipment.

Prisoners were breaking £5,000 worth of cell windows faster than they could punch holes in them and using phone GPS apps to guide deliveries to precise locations.

At Long Lartin, which holds people convicted of terrorism crimes, gangs drop contraband from drones in black plastic bags.

These are indistinguishable from bags of human waste thrown out of cell windows – meaning prisoners can easily pick them up by joining litter patrols.

Some gangs were hiding illegal items in balls of grass so that they could be hidden if they fell on the lawn.

The prison watchdog issued an urgent notification in October about conditions in Manchester, calling it one of the most violent prisons in the country.

That warning made it the fifth prison in a year to require an emergency response from ministers.

The Justice Ministry says it has already taken action by improving security with new CCTV systems and anti-drone netting.

A spokesman said, “This government has inherited troubled prisons.”

“We are tackling the situation by investing in prison maintenance and security, working with the police and others to tackle serious organized crime, and creating more prison places to lock up dangerous criminals.”