Eleven people charged after drugs and weapons 'flown into Midland prisons' using drones

Prohibited articles were flown or even thrown over the walls of HMP Featherstone near Wolverhampton, Winson Green prison, HMP Stoke Heath in Shropshire and HMP Hewell in Redditch.

West Mercia Police and HM Prison Service launched the probe, and announced the details of charges today.

Ten people each face five counts of conspiring to supply prohibited items into prisons.

They are:

• Mervyn Foster, aged 37 from High Street, Princes End, Tipton

• Yvonne Hay, aged 42 from Bloxwich Road, Walsall

• Craig Hickenbottom, aged 34 formerly of HMP Hewell, Redditch

• John Hickenbottom, aged 50 formerly of HMP Hewell, Redditch

• Lisa Hodgetts, aged 32 from Lye Cross Road, Tividale, Oldbury

• Terry Leach, aged 19 from Wednesbury Oak Road, Tipton

• John Quinn, aged 35 from Swancroft Road, Tipton

• Sanjay Patel, aged 37 of no fixed abode

• Ashley Rollinson aged 21 from Highgate Road, Dudley

• Francis Ward, aged 45 from Bloxwich Road, Walsall

A further man, Artaf Hussain aged 30 from Slater Street, Tipton, is accused of conspiring to supply prohibited articles into prisons and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

The crimes are alleged to have taken place between July 2015 and January this year.

The accused have all been bailed to appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Monday.