Carers ‘blinded by love’ smuggled contraband for Risley prisoners

Amy Portwood and Adrienne Juniper’s ‘infatuation’ for serving prisoners saw them convey illicit drugs and mobile phones into HMP Risley.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how they shared thousands of sexual messages with convicted criminals Darren McAndrew and Philip Phythian.

One carer is now behind bars herself, while the other was spared immediate jail due to hers being an exceptional case, with the impact of her incarceration on her children seeing her jail term suspended.

Portwood, of Hughes Avenue in Orford, and Juniper, of St Helens Road in Leigh admitted conveying prohibited articles into a prison and possessing heroin, cocaine, cannabis, cannabis resin and steroids with intent to supply them.

Guilty pleas were entered by McAndrew and Phythian meanwhile, both of Manchester but appearing in court via video link from HMP Forest bank in Salford, to conveying prohibited articles into a prison and possessing a prohibited item in a prison.

The court heard from Philip Astbury, prosecuting, how the former was in Risley prison serving an extended 12-year sentence for robbery and aggravated vehicle taking, while the latter was handed a six-year sentence for robbery and possession of a bladed article in public.

Portwood and Juniper became embroiled in the smuggling plot through their role as contracted care workers, making regular visits to the category C jail on Warrington Road.

Their employment saw them care for a disabled prisoner, but alongside this they formed ‘romantic relationships’ with the two male defendants.

The court heard evidence was found of thousands of racy, ‘overtly sexual’ WhatsApp messages being exchanged, particularly between Portwood and Phythian, during the indictment period from early December, 2021 to early January, 2022.

Attending work together on January 7, 2022, a prison sniffer dog ‘took an interest’ in Juniper, but she ‘passed this off’ as her wearing strong perfume, and she was allowed to continue.

The pair were spotted on CCTV talking to Phythian and McAndrew, and when an item of clothing the women had with them was searched due to being ‘out of place’, it was found to contain five separate packages of contraband.

Amy Portwood and Philip Pythian

This included tobacco, a mobile phone, two USB sticks, cannabis resin worth up to £2,880 in prison, herbal cannabis valued at up to £1,850, cocaine with an estimated worth of £600, crack cocaine worth £200 and £240 of heroin.

As a result, authorities carried out searches at Juniper's home, recovering £3,530 in cash and £500 in Turkish lira. Police recovered £348 from a drawer in Portwood's bedroom.

It was said that 41-year-old Portwood had a tattoo of the letter P on her forearm in an apparent reference to Phythian, while Juniper, aged 35, had a D tattoo on one of her fingers.

Mr Astbury revealed that Phythian has 18 previous convictions for 36 offences – nothing for drugs, but including a 10-year sentence for robbery, wounding with intent and aggravated burglary in 2009.

Gemma Maxwell, defending, stated that the 33-year-old has ‘taken steps to rehabilitate himself’ and held a trusted position in the prison.

Before his latest criminal activity, McAndrew amassed 10 convictions for 22 offences, mostly for violence, and including robberies, wounding with intent and possession of a prohibited firearm.

The 40-year-old's last conviction was in September 2020, also for possessing a prohibited item in prison.

His defence brief, Milena Bennett, explained that he struck up a mutual attraction with Juniper after feeling ‘lonely’ serving time during the Covid pandemic.

“Unfortunately, due to the fact that others noticed the relationship between the two of them, he was asked to ask for other items to be brought into prison, and he did,” she said.

"He regrets his actions immensely. He has made efforts to start to rehabilitate himself and has a job as a cleaner in custody."

Juniper herself has no previous convictions, while Portwood has one committed some 20 years ago, with no relevance to this type of offending.

Darren McAndrew and Adrienne Juniper

Of Juniper, Philip Tully, defending, referenced how she is a mum of two children with complex needs, to which she is a carer, adding that there would be a significant impact on them if their mum was to be locked up.

"Having struck up a relationship with someone who told her he was romantically interested in, she foolishly became involved in what she thought was a relationship with him,” he said.

It was said on her behalf that her actions were ‘totally out of character’, how her close family are ‘ashamed and disgusted’, how she is assessed as posing a ‘low risk of reoffending’ and is a ‘realistic prospect for rehabilitation’

“The sentence can be reduced to one that can be suspended. There is a more constructive way of dealing with her than immediate custody,” Mr Tully added.

For the ‘genuinely remorseful’ mum-of-one Portwood, Gareth Bellis said she had been ‘blinded by love and affection’ and was the subject of ‘a form of grooming to a certain extent’, with ‘persistent persuasion until she eventually gave in’.

Before sentencing, judge Garrett Byrne said: "It is my view that Phythian and McAndrew took the opportunity.

“There was a degree of manipulation or persuasion upon Juniper and Portwood to bring prohibited items into Risley Prison for you.

“You, Portwood and Juniper, abused your position of trust as care workers providing care to prisoners.

"You have both been extremely naïve, to say the least. You knew perfectly well that these items were not permitted to be brought into prison.

"But you did it anyway, no doubt having allowed your infatuation with your co-defendants to overcome your decision making.

“These items are valuable currency within the prison system and can be used as instruments of extortion or power. They promote disorder, bullying and violence.”

The plot centred around HM Prison Risley

McAndrew and Phythian were each sentenced to three years and nine months on top of the sentences they are already serving.

Portwood was handed 22 months immediate imprisonment, but Juniper’s 22-month term was suspended for two years.

She must complete 160 hours of unpaid work and 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Addressing Juniper, Judge Byrne said: "If you simply had two children, I could not and would not suspend the sentence.

“But in this case, there are two children who are assessed as extremely vulnerable and have complex needs.

“For those reasons, I believe that your case can be distinguished, and I feel able to suspend the term of imprisonment."

The criminality was investigated jointly by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit’s Prison Anti-Corruption Unit, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service’s Counter Corruption Unit, and HMP Risley.

The sentences were welcomed by DC Brian Johnston, of NWROCU’s PACU, who said: “I am pleased that all those involved have now been brought to justice.

“Drugs have no place in prison and hinder the rehabilitation of those who are there, and they have a detrimental effect on the good order and discipline of the jail, often linked to violence, self-harm, bullying and debt.

“We want to reassure the honest, dedicated and hardworking prison staff that we will continue to act against any member of staff who choose to engage in corrupt activity.

“We encourage anyone who has information about corruption in our prisons to report it.”