Former Gartree prison officer jailed for smuggling phones and drugs
Published 7th Sep 2026, 12:22 BST
Updated 7th Sep 2026, 12:23 BST
A former prison officer working at HMP Gartree is behind bars himself after admitting to smuggling cannabis and mobile phones into the facility.
James Spiers was one of 21 people charged in connection with a smuggling operation bringing contraband into the prison, near Market Harborough.
The charges came after a lengthy and complex investigation by detectives working in the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) Regional Prison Intelligence Unit.
Spiers, 30, pleaded guilty at Leicester Crown Court in July to misconduct in a public office; conspiracy to supply class B drug and conspiracy to convey List B prohibited articles into/out of prison.
The man, of New Bilton in Rugby, was jailed for six years on September 4.