© Tom Blewitt – HMP Prisons Justice Group
A former Staffordshire Police detective is facing jail after admitting her role in a criminal plot to smuggle drugs and contraband into two UK prisons using drones.
DC Clare Davenport, who was a serving officer at the time, conspired with her husband Peter King and two others—Kent George, 63, and Mervyn Foster, 46—to fly packages containing Class A and B drugs, spice, tobacco, mobile phones and other illicit items into HMP Onley in Northamptonshire and HMP Gartree in Leicestershire.
The drone drops, described in court as “flown-to-order,” took place throughout 2021 and 2022. One intercepted package, recovered by a prison officer in August 2021, contained heroin valued at £22,400 and cannabis worth £15,300 inside prison walls.
Following a surge in drone activity, a multi-agency police investigation led to the arrests of all four individuals. Davenport, who worked at Staffordshire Police HQ in Stafford, pleaded guilty in August to conspiring to acquire, use, or possess criminal property. King, 53, admitted to multiple conspiracy charges involving prohibited prison items and criminal property.
George and Foster were convicted of the same offences after a trial concluded on September 29. All four will be sentenced at Coventry Crown Court on November 17.
Detective Inspector Carrie Powers, from Northamptonshire Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Team, said:
“This was a very complex investigation involving a number of agencies and I am really pleased that not only did we stop these drone drops from happening, but that the people responsible have been brought to justice.”
Further disgrace followed for Davenport when Staffordshire Police’s Anti-Corruption Unit uncovered racist and discriminatory text messages on her phone, sent during the same period as the drone offences.
Staffordshire Police held an Accelerated Misconduct Hearing on August 3, 2023, which concluded that Clare Davenport would have been dismissed without notice had she not already retired.
The hearing revealed that Davenport had used racist and discriminatory language in a text to her partner in April 2021, and again in a WhatsApp message to another contact in February 2022. It also found that she arranged for her husband to falsely report her as sick while she was overseas in September 2021.
She was found to have breached multiple professional standards, including honesty and integrity, respect and courtesy, compliance with orders, discreditable conduct, and equality and diversity.
As a result, Davenport was added to the College of Policing’s Barred List, permanently banning her from working in policing or any law enforcement role.
Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Sally Blaiklock told StokeonTrentLive:
“During an investigation by our Anti-Corruption Unit, that started in 2022, racist/discriminatory text messages were found on Davenport’s phone. These messages were sent during 2021 and 2022.
“The content of the message meant that Davenport was found to have breached police standards of honesty and integrity, authority, respect and courtesy, orders and instructions, discreditable conduct and equality and diversity.
“In 2023, we began proceedings for an accelerated misconduct hearing for gross misconduct, however Davenport retired from service prior to this process.
“Davenport’s behaviour is completely unacceptable and has no place in policing. We are committed to an anti-discriminatory culture and hold all officers and staff accountable for their conduct, both in public and private communications.”
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