Lisa Haughey ‘bottled it’ after initially agreeing to smuggle drugs into a prison in return for cash
Lisa Haughey(Image: Facebook)
A mum was offered £500 to smuggle drugs into a prison but ended up in tears in the dock. Lisa Haughey was said to have “bottled it” after initially agreeing to take part in the ill-fated scheme.
This led to criminals threatening to “smash her house up”, at which stage she relented and took thousands of pounds of cannabis into Walton prison. But, despite her having been reassured that “it’ll be fine”, guards rumbled the plot and found the illegal package down the inmate’s trousers.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday, Tuesday, that Haughey visited a prisoner at HMP Liverpool on the afternoon of December 13 2024, but arose the suspicions of staff after going into a toilet. The 42-year-old, of Greenwood Avenue in Wigan, was then observed on CCTV passing a parcel to the man in question.
Derek Jones, prosecuting, outlined how the inmate, named in charge sheets as James O’Brien, was then searched and found with a cling film-wrapped package containing 207g of cannabis resin inside his trousers. These drugs were said to have a street value of £1,000 to £2,000, although its worth would have likely ballooned within the prison estate.
Haughey’s phone was subsequently found to contain a string of illuminating text messages, with Mr Jones saying of this evidence: “The defendant was unwisely involved with others, who we do accept were more criminally sophisticated than her. The conversation turned to her being offered the chance to take a parcel into prison.
“There are then offers, and ultimately a £500 offer. That was her payment to take a parcel into prison. There are conversations between the defendant and this other person, the other person reassuring her, telling her ‘it’ll be fine’ and he ‘normally only pays £250’. The defendant agrees to take it in.”
However, Haughey was then said to have missed two scheduled visits to the jail in order to complete her task. This led to her receiving a further message in which the unnamed contact threatened: “I feel like smashing your house up.”
Lisa Haughey outside Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Haughey was described as “relatively lightly convicted”, with offences of drink driving and possession of cocaine on her record from 2018 and 2023. Paul Wood, defending, told the court: “This starts off as economic enterprise against a background of drug use by this defendant.
“Her drug intake spiralled following the death of her father. She had a long social use of cocaine, but that had got significantly worse since her father passed away in early December 2023.
“The enterprise starts off financial, but, for want of a better expression, the defendant bottles it. By the time she comes to the prison with the cannabis, it is quite clear that she has been manipulated. She has put herself in that position, but the messages, particularly the later messages, are very clear as to the amount of pressure she is placed under.
“I respectfully submit that there is genuine remorse. There has now been a one year delay. How she has conducted herself in that period time is, she has moved into a new address out of the area. She is clean of cocaine. She has stayed out of trouble. She has addressed her mental health issues.
“She has been offered a job which, in essence, is headed as a lived experience support worker. What it really is is a key worker and support worker for drug addicts. It is a lifeline, as far as this defendant is concerned. In my submission, it is an absolute reflection of how far this defendant has come and how highly this defendant is thought of.
“Her previous convictions are extremely light. She has never been to prison. She has nothing previously for the supply of drugs. Your honour will appreciate that she has a 13-year-old daughter who resides with her grandmother and a 21-month-old daughter who lives with the defendant.
“She is absolutely, totally focused on turning her life around. If she was given the opportunity, she would grasp it with both hands. There is, importantly, a very realistic prospect of rehabilitation, given the good progress that the defendant has made. She has strong personal mitigation, in my submission. I respectfully submit that the balancing act the court has to apply tips in her favour.”
Appearing in the dock wearing a black North Face coat and glasses, Haughey admitted conveying a prohibited article into a prison. Having been seen dabbing her eyes with a tissue at times during the hearing, she gasped and appeared emotional as she was handed a 12-month imprisonment suspended for two years with 125 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 10 days.
Sentencing, Judge David Potter said: “On the 13th of December 2024, you visited an inmate at HMP Liverpool. It was the third time of asking. You had yourself bottled out of going on two previous occasions. But, as result of increased threats to you, you went into the prison on the 13th of December.
“You were in possession of a substantial quantity of cannabis. That quarter of a kilogram, as it nearly was, would have a value on the streets of Merseyside of between £1,000 and £2,000. As you know, the value is massively more than on the streets.
“That is because of the difficulty of getting drugs into prison. The impact of cannabis in the prison estate is more serious than it would necessarily be on the streets of Merseyside. It leads prisoners to become vulnerable.
“It leads them to become open to assaults, bullying and gang violence, because they get into debt. Families often get involved in the conflict as well, being pressured to bring drugs into prison or service the debt that the inmate has incurred.
“Drugs therefore pave the way for gangs and rivalries to form in prisons. Therefore, anyone who conveys drugs into prisons should expect to receive a prison sentence. People cannot complain if, having conveyed drugs into prison, the resulting sentence is harsh. The courts need to show that deterrent sentences are appropriate, because the conveying of prohibited items into prisons is widespread.
“You have some previous convictions, but they do not aggravate your position at all. It is clear that at the heart of your problem, and the reason you are in court today, is your own misuse of drugs. You having amassed a cocaine addiction, you sought to support your way out of it by taking on this criminal activity.
“You have substantial caring responsibilities, most notably to your very young daughter. Any sentence of imprisonment would, I am sure, have a substantial impact on your daughter who, of course, is entirely innocent of your crime.
“For those reasons, I am persuaded that the sentence can be suspended. You need to understand how close you have come to being sent immediately to custody today. Such is the seriousness of conveying drugs into prison, people almost always go immediately into prison.
“I will remember this day, the day that I gave you this opportunity. Commit a further offence and you can expect that this sentence will be activated in full.”