Prison worker who smuggled drugs for killer jailed

A corrupt prison watchdog boss who smuggled cannabis for a killer serving a life sentence and sent explicit messages to him and others has been jailed.

Helen Spree, 63, struck up an inappropriate relationship with Dylan Westall, 35, and also sent explicit phone chats, sexual images and videos.

The ex-businesswoman, who enjoyed a "successful career" as a sales director for a global firm, started voluntary work in 2017 as a member of an Independent Monitoring Board, which scrutinises conditions for prisoners and monitors how they are treated.

Spree, who was later appointed chairwoman of HMP Liverpool's board in January 2021, was sentenced to five years and three months.

Liverpool Crown Court heard a search of her home address following her arrest in August 2021 revealed she had two custom-made pillows with Westall's face embossed on them, which also sported a gun.

Westall was jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years in 2019 for the manslaughter of James Meadows, 17, who was shot in the head while on a motorbike in Huyton, Merseyside.

Mother-of-two Spree also sent sexual messages to two other inmates at HMP Liverpool over a 20-month period which led to her bringing in the Class B drug, along with mobile phones, Sim cards and phone chargers.

Details of the requests from Westall, Thomas Porterfield, 44, and a third inmate, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were found in messages on her phone.

A police investigation was launched following various prison intelligence reports outlining concerns about Spree's interactions with the three prisoners.

Prosecutor Andrew Scott said: "So frequent were the deliveries that Ms Spree described herself as the prisoners' version of Deliveroo."

Spree, of Hale Bank Avenue, Huyton, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to misconduct in a public office, conspiracy to supply cannabis and conspiracy to convey prohibited items into prison.

Westall and Porterfield, of Greenwich Avenue, Widnes, also pleaded guilty at earlier hearings to conspiracy to supply cannabis and convey prohibited items into prison.

Westall received a 12-month sentence which he will serve in addition to his minimum life term, while Porterfield received 22 months in custody, suspended for 18 months.

The third inmate was jailed for two years and 10 months after he admitted conspiracy to convey prohibited items, including cannabis, into prison.

Westall's brother Michael Westall, 28, was sentenced to 20 months in custody, suspended for 18 months, after he admitted conspiracy to supply cannabis and convey prohibited items into prison.

He became part of the smuggling operation when Dylan Westall introduced him to Spree, with evidence of the pair meeting up at Spree's home.

In her basis of plea, Spree, who had no previous convictions, said she denied engaging in any direct physical sexual activity with the inmates.

Judge Neil Flewitt KC told Spree: "These were deliberate offences which required a high level of planning and sophistication.

"You received no financial gain but the benefit to you was a boost for your self-esteem and to be of use, albeit to hardened criminals."

He accepted that Spree was "susceptible" to such manipulation after her barrister, Arthur Gibson, told the court she had hid a personal life of "abuse and trauma".

The prosecution said Spree also sent messages which provided details of when cell searches would take place, along with prison officer deployments.

Her role with the montoring board enabled her to go anywhere unaccompanied within the prison estate and to carry her own set of keys, the court heard.

Following the sentencing, Det Sup Claire Maguire, of the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, said Spree's behaviour was "a calculated and sustained abuse of a position".

"Her actions undermined the safety and stability of the prison, compromised the integrity of the system and betrayed the trust placed in her by colleagues and the public."

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