by Julia Roberts

A female court security officer who helped smuggle drugs and mobile phones into a Kent prison has been jailed for five years.

Serco employee Carly Morris, who worked at Canterbury Crown Court, acted as a go-between in the conspiracy orchestrated by a convicted prisoner.

Darren Byrne was serving an indeterminate sentence at Elmley Prison on the Isle of Sheppey for causing death by dangerous driving when 25-year-old Morris was approached to help.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Byrne arranged for deliveries of heroin, mobile phones, SIM cards and other paraphernalia by his man on the outside, Dino Gillett, to Morris.

She first passed on a package to remand prisoner Jack Hennessy - described as a "mule" in the conspiracy - while in the cells with him at Canterbury Crown Court in February last year.

Hennessy secreted the mobile phone and 27.5g of heroin - estimated as having a value inside prison of £13,000 - up his backside before returning to Elmley.

The phone, which was of an unusual design and looked like a watch, was found on Hennessy's cell floor, together with a SIM card and charger, a plastic bag and a plastic knife. The heroin was also retrieved.

A second delivery to be made by Morris was intercepted by police a month later as she made her way to a rendezvous with Gillett in the car park at Canterbury Crown Court.

Officers found 25.3g of heroin hidden in her handbag lining - estimated to be worth £4,000 - as well as two mobile phones, SIM card and a tube of lubricant gel.

Jailing the four defendants today Friday for a total of 23 years and eight months, Judge Jeremy Gold QC told Morris it was "a tragedy" she had abused her position of trust.

Morris, of Queen's Rise, Ringwould, near Dover, Byrne, 30, of no fixed address, Gillett, 37, of Canterbury Road, Westgate, and 23-year-old Hennessy, of Pritchards Avenue, Hawkinge, Folkestone, all admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and conspiracy to take mobile phones, SIM cards and batteries into Elmley Prison between February 8 and March 14.

The court heard she became involved in the conspiracy following a year-long, unrelated campaign of harassment against her and her family.

Byrne, it was said, was not involved but exploited Morris' predicament by adopting a "carrot and stick" approach, assuring her that the harassment would ease if she helped him.

In text messages exchanged between the pair Byrne told Morris she was "a star", "one in a million" and that he could "give her a big kiss".

Byrne was jailed for eight years, Gillett was jailed for six years and eight months, and Hennessy was sentenced to four years.

Gillett also admitted 10 offences of supplying undercover police officers with crack cocaine and heroin between April 14 and May 1 last year. He was jailed for a further 16 months consecutive.