A man who tried to smuggle mobile phones and drugs into HMP Pentonville using a drone has instead landed himself behind bars.

Islington Gazette: The drone with the bag that was attached to it.The drone with the bag that was attached to it. (Image: Archant)

Charlie Adifiyi, 21, was caught after staff at the prison called police at 3.10am in August last year to say a drone had been caught on CCTV flying towards the prison.

Cops, who at the time were conducting a plain clothes operation to tackle the use of drones at the prison, went to the scene and an officer grabbed the remote control device while it was in flight.

In a bag attached to it was 118g of cannabis, two mobile phones and 71.7g of psychoactive substance, or legal highs.

Adifiyi, of James Morgan Mews, Islington, was identified through DNA and when police searched his home they found 476g of psychoactive substances. That amount has a prison value of up to £38,000.

He was jailed for three years today at Blackfriars Crown Court after pleading guilty to three charges under the Prisons Act. He was also sentenced for one count of possession with intent to supply psychoactive substances.

Insp Steve Murfin, from Islington’s neighbourhood police, said: “This drone was found to be carrying a substantial amount of cannabis and phones and due to the vigilance of officers it was prevented from entering the prison.

“We work closely with the prison service to gather intelligence in order to carry out proactive operations to arrest and prosecute those who commit this crime.”

Prisons minister Sam Gyimah, said: “I am determined to stem the flow of drugs into our prisons, and I want to pay tribute to the staff at Pentonville and the police for preventing this haul from entering the prison system and undermining the stability and order at the jail.

“This conviction should send a strong message to others who may attempt to do the same; we will find you and put you behind bars.”

The case against Janet Akinte, 28, of Charles Street, Islington was dismissed. She had been summonsed to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court for the same three charges under the Prisons Act.