Man ran two-year drug smuggling operation from three prisons
- Published
Craig Sutton's operation was finally discovered at HMP Addiewell
A prisoner ran a two-year-long drug smuggling operation from three Scottish jails by phone and mail, a court has heard.
Craig Sutton, 37, carried out the operation while he was an inmate at HMP Perth, HMP Edinburgh, and HMP Addiewell in West Lothian.
The offences only came to light when Sutton's cell at HMP Addiewell was searched after a fire alarm went off in a neighbouring cell.
He will be sentenced in October.
Co-accused Natalie Williamson, 29, from Renfrew, who admitted allowing her bank account to be used to deposit £30,000 of criminal money will be sentenced at the same time.
The High Court in Glasgow was told the offences took place between February 2015 and July 2017.
Letters seized
Prosecutor Mark McGuire said an initial search of Sutton's cell revealed heroin, drug paraphernalia, and a suspected tick list.
A subsequent full search found dozens of letters addressed to Sutton from other prisoners.
There was also an unsent letter written by Sutton in which he set out his plan to smuggle drugs into prison.
Police also seized recordings of all telephone calls made or received by Sutton since he was jailed in 2014.
Mr McGuire said: "Those recordings included frequent discussions between the accused Sutton and the accused Williamson during which Sutton made frequent reference to his trafficking in heroin and ecstasy inside and outside of the prison estate.
"Discussions also took place between the two regarding the use of Williamson's bank account to receive the money owed to Sutton for drugs."
Prisons investigation
Judge Lord Burns asked Mr McGuire if there had been a time when the letters were examined in the prison.
Mr McGuire said: "There are two possibilities - the letters and phone recordings were monitored and nothing was done, or they were not monitored."
Lord Burns said: "It is of concern an operation involving a number of prisons and nothing was done about it."
He ordered the prosecutor to investigate.
Sutton, who appeared in court via a video link, was remanded in custody and Williamson was granted bail.