SEVEN people accused of working together to supply prison inmates with steroids and mobile phones have appeared in court.
Murshed Uddin, 40, Shannen Taylor, 30, Suzanne Stevenson, 41, Daisy Engledow, 22, Gavin Davis, 40, and Christian Davis, 19 attended Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
Abdul Hamid, 37, appeared via video link from HMP Five Wells in Northamptonshire, while Darren Stracey, 42, did not attend the hearing.
Together the defendants faced a range of charges relating to allegations dating back to 2020.
The charges relate to items which they are allegedly said to have tried to smuggle into HMP Chelmsford over a four-month period.
Uddin, of Mundon Road in Maldon, Taylor, of Burnham Road in Latchingdon, and Stevenson, of no fixed abode each faced charges of conspiring to convey four mobile phones and the steroids oxandrolone and tamoxifen into HMP Chelmsford.
Engledow, of Victoria Road, Maldon, faced a single charge of conspiring to bring a pink iPhone into the same prison.
Gavin Davis, of Grooms Lane, in Silverend, faced four charges of conspiring to convey steroids and mobile phones into prison, and possession of cocaine and heroin with intent to supply.
Christian Davis, of no fixed abode, was charged with possessing cocaine with intent to supply and being concerned in the production of cannabis.
Hamid, of HMP Five Wells, faced charges conspiring to bring prohibited items into prison, possessing items in prison without authority, and transmitting images from prison without authority.
Stracey, of no fixed abode, was not in court to face eight charges which included conspiring to bring prohibited items into prison, possession of an electric stun device, possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis, and production of cannabis.
Priti Barber, prosecuting, said: “This case has uncovered wider drug offences including intent to supply cannabis, cocaine, and heroin.
“[It also involved] the production of cannabis and possession of prohibited weapons when searches were carried out at one of the defendant’s addresses.
“Two packages containing mobile phones and drugs wrapped in cling film were found at HMP Chelmsford, and these items were requested to be conveyed into prison by Hamid, who messaged his partner Taylor using a prohibited mobile phone.”
The defendants will appear before the Crown Court on Tuesday, April 30 where they will issue final pleas.
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