A man who used a drone to smuggle contraband into prisons has become the first person in Britain to be jailed for the crime.
Police said Daniel Kelly used the remote-controlled device to fly items including the psychoactive drug known as Spice, into two prisons in Kent and Hertfordshire in April.
On Wednesday, he was jailed for 14 months at Maidstone Crown Court on Wednesday after he admitted conspiracy to project an article into prison.
Kelly is the first to be convicted of the offence, which was introduced in November after a sharp rise in the number of items smuggled into prisons via drones.
In 2013, no incidents were recorded but last year 33 contraband was discovered.
Kelly, formerly of Grove Park, in Lewisham, south east London, was caught after a police patrol spotted a car parked in Eastchurch Road, Leysdown, near HMP Swaleside on April 25.
A man was spotted running before he climbed into the passenger seat as the car sped off. It was later found at a holiday park where Kelly was arrested.
The drone, which was originally white but had been spray-painted black with taped over lights, was found in the boot of the car.
Analysis of the device’s storage drive revealed it had made four flights to HMP Elmley, HMP Swaleside and HMP The Mount in the space of five days.
Detective Constable Mark Silk, who served as investigating officer, said: "Kelly's offending was serious.
“It shows a lack of respect for our justice system and it is appropriate that he has received a custodial sentence.
"Psychoactive substances and tobacco have an inflated value in prison and this can lead to offences being committed within. This places both inmates and prison staff at risk."
Detective Sergeant Richard Allingham, the senior investigating officer, added: "As with all new offences, investigating this presented challenges that we have not come across before but the officers were able to corroborate all of the evidence and secure a conviction in a relatively short space of time."
