South Shields woman passed drugs to her partner during a hug on a prison visit
A woman who passed drugs to her partner while they hugged during a New Year's Eve prison visit has kept her freedom.
Tracey Connolly handed over the package to Steven Gill during an embrace in the visitors hall at HMP Northumberland, where he was an inmate, on December 31, 2024.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the exchange was spotted by guards who immediately stepped in and seized the item, which contained 44.2g of cannabis resin and 52 class C tablets.
Connolly, 44, of Fitzpatrick place, South Shields, who has never been in trouble before, and Gill, 42, of no fixed address, who has 105 offences on his record and was jailed for four years in 2024 for attempted robbery, both admitted taking banned articles into prison.
Jamie Adams, defending, said Connolly eventually agreed to smuggle the drugs in after she received threats and feared for the safety of her partner.
Mr Adams added: "She felt abject fear for her partner, who had been beaten up on a number of occasions in prison, as she understood it. Then threats were made to her about what these people would do to her family.
"It terrified her, she was living in great fear. She had, once before, refused to do it and got further threats. She worried something would really happen.
"She didn't know these people, the whole process was alien to her. She is ashamed of what she allowed herself to do."
Shaun Routledge, defending Gill, said: "He is at pains to express his remorse and how stupid he has been. He was under pressure from others."
Judge Carolyn Scott said: "The court has made it clear time and time again that with offending of this type, taking drugs into prison, people who commit such offences should expect to go immediately to custody."
However Judge Scott said Connolly has a good prospect of rehabiltation, has health problems, does not pose a risk to the public and was described in character references as a "loving, caring and law abiding person".
Connolly was sentenced to 11 weeks suspended for two years.
The judge told her: "You were the person who brought those drugs, the fact you were pressured into doing so carries little weight.
“It is of real regret a woman of previous good character has lost your good character by committing this serious offence.”
Gill was sentenced to 12 months.