Authorities have observed a sharp rise in the use of drones to smuggle contraband into prisons in England and Wales, sparking warnings from officials about escalating risks. Drone incidents around prisons have increased almost tenfold since 2019, with 1,063 sightings recorded last year compared to just 122 four years earlier, figures obtained by the BBC reveal.

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, highlighted the dangers posed by drones delivering larger payloads into prison facilities:

“We are seeing bigger payloads of drugs coming into prisons, more mobile phones. Drones are becoming more sophisticated in terms of how much they can carry, so of course it adds to the risk of potentially other more risky things coming into prisons.”

Taylor warned that drones can quickly enter and exit prison grounds, bypassing traditional security measures:

“We know security is being compromised in lots of prisons when it comes to drone activity. They can be in and out of a jail very quickly.”

A former prisoner described witnessing several drone drops during his 14-year incarceration:

“A drone can come into prison and it ain’t getting stopped. And there could be anything on the drone. There could be a gun,” he said. “I’ll be stood at the window at night time, and the lads will be talking out of the window, and all of a sudden a drone will come over. Someone will grab the parcel. That’s how easy it is.”

Drones are increasingly a concern

Prisons across England and Wales are grappling with the issue. Inspectors recently described HMP Garth in Lancashire as “like an airport” due to the frequency of drone activity. At HMP Swaleside in Kent, drones delivering contraband have become a “major problem,” and at HMP Guys Marsh in Dorset, drone drops and thrown items are a constant challenge, according to monitoring boards.

Drones have even been used creatively by inmates. At HMP Garth, prisoners reportedly burned holes in cell windows to allow drones inside and used stolen broom handles to retrieve contraband parcels.

Steve Gillan, general secretary of the Prison Officers Association (POA), warned of dire consequences if the issue remains unchecked:

“Unless it’s dealt with, I predict there could be a total disaster in one of our prisons if drones are flown in with incendiary devices, a gun or ammunition.”

The POA has called for strengthened measures, including physical barriers like netting and technological solutions to detect and repel drones. “We’ve been saying for a long time that things will get worse, not better, unless drones can be blocked from the perimeters of prisons,” Gillan added.

Counter-UAS solutions

While Drone Defence’s Skyfence, a virtual anti-drone fence, trialled in Guernsey successfully repelled drones by disrupting their signals, no similar systems have yet been deployed in England and Wales. Prison governor John De Carteret noted the system’s effectiveness:

“When a drone tries to breach the perimeter, it’s repelled until it runs out of battery and then it slowly lowers itself to the floor.”

In response to the growing threat, the Prison Service has installed restricted fly zones around prisons and worked with police to secure over 90 drone-related convictions, leading to sentences totaling more than 315 years.

A Prison Service spokesperson said:

“We have a zero-tolerance approach to drugs, and these figures show our work locally with the police to deter, detect, and disrupt the growing illegal use of drones around prisons.”

Underlying issues persist

Dr Erin Sanders-McDonough, a criminologist from the University of Kent, emphasised that addressing drone use alone is insufficient:

“The mechanisms to get drugs through the door have been constantly evolving. We need a holistic approach that tackles the root issues, including mental health provision and drug treatment programs.”

Taylor echoed this sentiment, stressing the need for secure physical infrastructure and advanced detection technology to combat the growing drone threat:

“It’s about having netting in place that helps to stop drones being able to land… and technological solutions like detecting drones and having CCTV cameras that pick up where drones are dropping stuff off.”

As the frequency and sophistication of drone incidents continue to rise, experts and officials alike are urging urgent action to mitigate the threat and protect the safety of prison staff and inmates.

Post Image Credit: Drone Defence