Female jail officer who obtained paid £6,000 to smuggle medicine behind bars for her inmate boyfriend to promote is jailed

A corrupt prison officer who was paid £6,000 to smuggle drugs into her jail for her inmate boyfriend to sell has been jailed.

Sophie Emms, 29, agreed to bring in cannabis and synthetic drug spice for Jediah Clarke after getting into a relationship with him at Wayland prison in Norfolk.

Norwich Crown Court heard how Clarke, 42, was the ‘commander in chief’ of the drug dealing operation and had persuaded Emms to get involved.

Emms received separate payments for the drugs via a third party of £2,500, £500, £1,000 and £2,000.

She was jailed for 33 months by Judge Katharine Moore who described it as a ‘gross breach of trust’ by the former prison officer. 

The court heard how Emms, who was an officer at the Category C jail for two years, brought in cannabis resin worth £6,250 and spice worth £1,050.

Clarke’s mother Joy Wickham, 61, was also part of the smuggling ring, and was tasked with passing the drugs to Emms to get them into the prison.

Wickham was responsible for soaking the spice onto A5 paper and cutting it into smaller deals ‘to facilitate its transport into, and subsequent use within HMP Wayland’, said prosecutor Lori Tucker.

Another prisoner Joel Barker, 37, who was a former wing mate of Clarke also stored the drugs in his cell. 

Miss Tucker said that this ‘provided a level of security’ for Clarke by ensuring he was ‘not in possession of a large quantity of drugs’.

The court heard how cannabis resin and a mobile phone and charger were found in Barker’s cell when it was searched on November 2, 2021.

Miss Tucker said Clarke had drawn others into his conspiracy including his mother, Emms and Barker.

Judge Katharine Moore told Emms that she was guilty of a ‘gross breach of trust’ and had ‘betrayed the trust and duty of care’ as she jailed her for 33 months.

Emms, from Norfolk, admitted conspiracy to convey prohibited articles – cannabis and spice – into prison.

Clarke, from London, and Wickham were found guilty of the same charge following a 19-day trial last year.

Judge Katharine Moore described drug dealing in prison as doing ‘untold harm’.

The judge said the operation to bring cannabis and spice into the jail was run like a ‘commercial operation’ with Clarke being the ‘directing mind’ and ‘commander-in-chief’.

She said Clarke had formed a relationship with Emms ‘which went beyond friendship’ and told him: ‘You played a significant part in her corruption’.

Judge Moore said Emms had been ‘under pressure due to financial difficulties’ and had been in the ‘thrall’ of Clarke.

She said Clarke had done as she was ‘asked’ by Clarke and ‘drugs were brought into the prison estate’ by her.

Clarke, from London, who admitted a separate offence of wounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent in Croydon on May 18, 2023, was jailed for six years and two months.

Wickham, from London, who played a ‘leading role’ in her son’s operation and was described as ‘at his right hand’ was jailed for four years.

She was said to be a ‘vital conduit for the movement of drugs’ and had passed on items ‘impregnated’ with spice to Emms who took them into prison.

Barker, of Colchester, Essex, was said to have played a limited role and was ‘acting under instruction’.

He was jailed for 14 months suspended for two years with a 25 day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement after he admitted two counts of possessing a mobile phone inside prison and two counts of possession of cannabis with intent to supply. 

Andrew Oliver, defending Emms, said her actions were ‘isolated’ and ‘out of character’ after she got into significant debt and joined the operation after she panicked.

He admitted she was a ‘small but crucial cog in this enterprise’ and was paid ‘handsomely’ for it.

Mr Oliver added that she was ‘devastated’ at her actions and had ‘let down’ her colleagues, employers, family and friends.

Simon Connolly, defending Clarke, said it would be wrong to classify it as a commercial operation as there were ‘relatively small quantities of drugs’.

He said Clarke ‘found’ a corrupt prison officer in Emma and they had been in it together.

Stephen Fidler, for Wickham, said there had been an ‘element of coercion’ in her involvement.

He said the connection between her and her son ‘played a large part in this enterprise’.

Mr Fidler added that she had not been aware of the scale of the operation.

Steven Dyble, for Barker, said he deserved ‘substantial credit’ for his pleas and had remained ‘completely out of trouble’ and working with others to overcome his drug addiction.