Dad-of-three becomes first person in Britain jailed for flying drone into prisons
Daniel Kelly, 37, gets 14 months for 'sophisticated' crimes
A MAN was jailed for flying a drone into FOUR prisons in the first ever case to be prosecuted in Britain.
Daniel Kelly was sentenced to 14 months behind bars for the "sophisticated" crimes with eight flights made on six different occasions.
The sprayed black drone used — worth £700 — was originally bought as a gift for his three children, aged 13, 12 and three.
It was thought the former legal high Spice and tobacco had been flown over the prison walls.
The hearing was told that the 37-year-old had been spotted by cops in a marked car running from a pathway into an Audi before making off.
Police pursued the driver and his girlfriend, Ingrid Edwards, 25, who was sitting in the passenger seat, during a short chase in Eastchurch, Sheerness, Kent, in April.
Their vehicle was pulled over and a drone was found in the boot of the vehicle near Swaleside Prison, a hearing at Maidstone Crown Court, Kent, was told on Wednesday.
When police inspected the drone they discovered from SIM data that it had made flights to several prisons, including Wandsworth in London, HMP the Mount in Hemel Hempstead and Elmley and Swaleside prisons on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.
Prosecutor Danny Robinson said: "The drone had been sprayed black to fly undetected.
"The lights were taped over and it had a hook underneath."
Mr Robinson added: "There were eight flights that he accepts on six occasions.
"However prosecution is unable to say what, if anything, was attached to the drone."
The court heard that Kelly had 15 previous convictions, which included aggravated burglary and kidnapping, but none that were similar to this offence.
His defence barrister Christina Rowberry said Kelly accepted the "seriousness of the offence".
She said he worked for an asphalting company and that he had been living with Miss Edwards at her grandmother's house while they saved for a house together.
She added: "The drone was originally bought for his children to play with.
"But as you can see it didn't take long to work out there was an unlawful means for what it could be used for."
Kelly, from Charlton, southeast London, admitted a charge of conspiring to project a drone into prisons.
A charge against Kelly of conveying items into prisons was dropped due to a lack of evidence from the prosecution.
Pregnant Ms Edwards, also from Charlton, who had previously pleaded not guilty to both charges.
The court heard yesterday the charges against her had been dropped when the prosecution offered no evidence against her.
Mr Robinson had said: "I would like to inform the court that so far as Ms Edwards is concerned, we have reviewed the evidence against her and see there is none."
Judge Charles Macdonald sentenced Kelly to 14 months and he will be released on licence for a further 12 months under supervision.
Addressing the defendant the judge said: "Between April 17 and 25 you flew or attempted to fly a drone into four different prisons.
"There were eight flights on six occasions.
"The purpose in your accepted basis of plea was to send tobacco and legal highs such as they were into prison.
"There are no guidelines for this case.
"But it was a relatively sophisticated offence, persistent over a number of days."
The drone was also confiscated.
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As he left the dock, Kelly raised his eyebrows at his girlfriend, who was in sitting in the public gallery.
Detective Constable Mark Silk, who served as investigating officer, said: "Kelly’s offending was serious.
"It shows a lack of respect for our justice system and it is appropriate that he has received a custodial sentence.
"Psychoactive substances and tobacco have an inflated value in prison and this can lead to offences being committed within.
"This places both inmates and prison staff at risk."
Detective Sergeant Richard Allingham, the senior investigating officer, added: "I am extremely proud of the work my officers have put into this case, from beginning to end.
"It was a good piece of instinctive policing to spot the suspicious behaviour that led to Kelly's arrest and everyone involved since has spent a lot of time paying attention to minute details linked to this case.
"As with all new offences, investigating this presented challenges that we have not come across before but the officers were able to corroborate all of the evidence and secure a conviction in a relatively short space of time."