British woman caught smuggling drugs into prison where she worked jailed for six years

Megan Woodham, who was part of £1 million cocaine gang, was caught smuggling ketamine into the jail where she was a healthcare assistant.

Woodham (30) used her job to conceal the shipments of drugs which she then handed over to inmate Daniel Doran. She also used her home in Wigan as a "safehouse" for a gang involved in the supply of millions of pounds of cocaine.

Other members were handed lengthy spells behind bars at Liverpool Crown Court this week.

Doran, of Hall Lane in Kirkby, was a serving prisoner at HMP Risley in Warrington between December 2021 and February 2022, a trial previously heard.

Woodham was employed as a health worker in the jail and they both, together with co-defendants Kelsey Higgins and John Butler, were "involved in the supply of a very large quantity of high purity cocaine", David Watson, prosecutor, said.

The inmate had access to a mobile phone while behind bars which he used to "organise the moving of cocaine from location to location" from his cell "under the noses of authorities".

Woodham who "formed some sort of relationship" with the 32-year-old through her work would "willingly assist him by allowing her home address to be used for the storage of parcels" of drugs.

Megan Woodham appeared before Liverpool Crown Court after being found guilty in December of conspiracy to supply class A drugs, namely cocaine, following a two-week trial.

Woodham, of Ormskirk Road in Wigan, was also convicted of conspiracy to supply class B drugs, namely ketamine.

Woodham appeared before judge Stuart Driver via video link from custody where she was sentenced to six years in prison.

She was joined by Doran (32) of Hall Lane in Tower Hill, Kirkby, and Higgins (26) of Ridgewood Way in Bootle.

Doran was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, while Higgins was incarcerated for 13 and a half years – both for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

A further defendant, Valerie Doran (54) of Hall Lane in Tower Hill, Kirkby, was found guilty of money laundering. She is due to be sentenced on January 20.

The investigation is in connection with a previous conviction of John Butler (27) of Clements Way in Tower Hill, who was found in possession of cocaine with an estimated street value of £1 million in January last year.

Patrols stopped a black Volkswagen car driven by Butler carrying 10kgs of cocaine on Heysham Road in Netherton last January.

He was jailed for eight years at Liverpool Crown Court after admitting possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

DS Peter Sloan, from Merseyside Police, said: “We welcome this latest sentencing of Doran, Woodham and Higgins today, which highlights the fact that we will leave no stone unturned.

“This was a complex investigation which has developed from the arrest of Butler and a subsequent investigation resulted from that stop check.

“Organised crime is hugely damaging to our communities, often involving intimidation, violence and creating fear and it is these criminals who run county lines.

“Criminals involved in organised crime have no thought for anyone other than themselves, their criminal intent and their greed.

“I would ask anyone who has any information about who is supplying or selling drugs in their area to contact us so we can take action.”