A Doncaster woman who attempted to smuggle a quarter of a million pounds’ worth of drugs into HMP Lindholme has been jailed after investigators exposed the web of lies she constructed to cover her tracks.
Michala Stubbs, 40, who worked in the prison’s education department, was stopped during a routine staff search in October 2023. Officers discovered half a kilogram of illegal drugs in her possession, including cocaine and ketamine, which she intended to deliver to an inmate.
Stubbs, of The Crescent, Doncaster, told officers she had been forced into smuggling the drugs after threats were allegedly made against her children. But a detailed investigation by the Prison Anti-Corruption Unit quickly unraveled the story.
Analysis of mobile phone data revealed that Stubbs had sent a text message to herself in an apparent attempt to fabricate evidence of duress. CCTV footage further contradicted her claims, confirming that the coercion narrative had been staged.
Last Thursday (20 November), she was sentenced to five years and two months at Sheffield Crown Court for possession with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs.
Detective Constable Scott Jarvis, who led the investigation, said the case highlighted the serious risks posed by criminality within the prison system.
“Every day, we work with prisons in Doncaster to tackle drug smuggling and maintain an environment where people who have committed crimes can properly rehabilitate,” he said. “When staff become involved in criminal activity, it undermines that process, puts others at risk, and threatens community safety.
“Stubbs betrayed the trust placed in her as an employee of the prison. She attempted to hide her actions, but her story simply didn’t stand up to scrutiny. The investigation revealed the truth.”
Jarvis added that smuggling prohibited items into prisons can fuel violence, disorder, and reoffending. “Prisons must remain free of criminality, and we will continue working alongside the prison service to ensure anyone involved in this behaviour faces the full force of the law,” he said.
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