Julia Watson, 61, a staff member at HMP Garth, was locked up for four months after being caught smuggling cannabis, ketamine, buprenorphine, and spice into the prison. The haul was worth a whopping £95,000.
Inside Job: Waste Management Worker Betrays Trust
Watson, who worked in the prison’s waste management unit since August 2015, was arrested in April 2024 and immediately suspended. The discovery came after officers executed a targeted search of the A Wing servery on 20 April.
Hidden inside a commercial dishwasher was a white food tub packed with food bags. Five tins camouflaged as branded food products contained synthetic cannabis (spice), cannabis resin, tobacco, and ketamine.
CCTV and Forensics Seal the Case
CCTV footage showed Watson taking a strange route through the prison and driving the waste management truck near A Wing before the drugs were found. X-ray scans confirmed the suspect items matched those she brought in earlier that day.
After her arrest on 23 April, police seized her mobile phone, handwritten notes, cash, and other items from her home. Forensic analysis revealed Watson’s fingerprint on one carrier bag containing the drugs.
Inspector Brian Morley, NWROCU Prison Investigation Unit, said: “This case highlights the vigilance of HMPPS staff and the robust security measures in place to prevent drug smuggling into our prisons. The drugs Julia Watson brought in are valued at up to £95,000 and fuel violence, debt, intimidation, and exploitation among prisoners. We remain committed to protecting our institutions from criminal exploitation.”
