A PRISON worker who was caught with class-A drugs after investigators discovered she was in a relationship with a gangster prisoner has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.
Ashley Malloy, 33, worked as a carer at HMP Shotts, Lanarkshire, which houses some of the country’s most notorious criminals.
She was put under investigation after police received a tip-off that she was bringing illicit items into the maximum security facility.
Detectives had information she was in a relationship with inmate John Mack, 37, who was serving a four-year sentence for drug offences.
Malloy’s locker in a staff changing area was raided by officers in March last year who discovered cocaine with a street value of £1,200 and £400 worth of heroin in a bag.
Mack’s cell was searched and a mobile phone SIM card was discovered.
Malloy, of Shotts, and Mack, of Glasgow, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court where she pled guilty to possessing the drugs while he admitted having the illicit SIM card.
Sheriff John Hamilton KC ordered Malloy to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and put her under supervision for 12 months.
Mack was jailed for four months after the sheriff blasted his criminal record.
The pair had originally faced allegations of supplying drugs inside HMP Shotts but the claims were dropped by prosecutors.
Depute fiscal Aga Mathieson told the court: “Police officers were in receipt of information that Ashley Malloy was working within Shotts as a carer and was introducing illegal items into the prison.
“They attended Shotts with a search warrant and around 8am she was located in a staff preparation area which contains lockers and a place for people who work there to change.
“In that room they found a small bag and she confirmed it belonged to her and when it was searched they recovered powder which was later confirmed as cocaine and heroin with a street value of £1,200 and £400.”
The prosecutor added: “Because of what police had discovered in the bag, John Mack had his cell searched because there was information they were in a relationship.
“During the search of his cell they found a SIM card.”
The court heard dad-of-three Mack had the SIM card to keep in touch with family but had been released in January.
He had previously admitted flooding Glasgow with thousands of street valium tablets which was linked to serious organised crime.
Ian Scott, defending Malloy, said: “She certainly isn’t someone who has come through the criminal ranks.
“She had been given a package and had put her handbag and other items in her locker which is not in a secure area of the prison and she had no interaction with any convicted prisoners during the time she was in possession of these drugs but nonetheless it was in the prison estate.”
Linda Findlay, defending Mack, said: “He had this SIM card to keep in contact with his family after his allowance had run out.”
Sheriff Hamilton told Malloy: “It is significant that it was possession of a substantial amount of heroin and cocaine but you have no record and are somewhat vulnerable and I’m persuaded that it will not need to be a custodial sentence.”
And he said to Mack: “You are in a somewhat different situation with a significant record specifically disorder, dishonest, fraudulent scheme, forgery and then a significant conviction for being concerned in the supply of drugs,
“Possession of phones in prison is a serious matter and given the circumstances, it being your second time doing it, and your previous convictions and the element of risk that you are to society the custodial threshold has been crossed.”
The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said Malloy was employed by an agency and had not worked at the prison since the drugs were found.
