Former Gartree Prison Officer Jailed For Smuggling Contraband

A former Gartree prison officer is beginning a six-year prison sentence after being paid more than £12,000 to smuggle drugs and mobile phones to inmates.

James Speirs pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office, two counts of conspiracy to supply cannabis and two counts of conspiracy to bring prohibited articles into and out of a prison.

Speirs, 30, of New Bilton in Warwickshire, was suspended from his role after he was identified and was arrested in October 2022.

James Speirs

Police searched his address and found 13 mobile phones, five SIM cards and cannabis-infused sweets, which the court heard were intended to be smuggled into the prison as illicit contraband.

In mitigation, barrister Jamie Scott described Speirs as a “family man” with a “capacity for hard work”.

The court heard he had previously worked as a delivery driver and trained as a firefighter.

Mr Scott said Speirs had made “a terrible decision” as a young man and that it had affected the rest of his life.

The court also heard he was vulnerable because of a gambling problem, while his barrister said he was not the “architect” behind the conspiracy.

Mr Scott added that Speirs had shown “stoic courage” by taking responsibility for his criminality following his arrest.

Sentencing him, the judge described it as “a very sad day”, saying he could have had “a rewarding, fulfilling and maybe even a long career in the prison service”.