UK Prisons Watchdog Warns Drones Could Aid Inmate Escapes

Britain’s prisons watchdog has warned that organised crime gangs are using increasingly powerful drones to flood jails with contraband and could, in theory, lift inmates over perimeter walls. In his annual report published Tuesday, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor said the prison and police services have “ceded the airspace” above high-security facilities such as HMP Manchester and HMP Long Lartin, calling the situation a threat to national security. Taylor said drones are already delivering packages weighing up to 10 kg that include drugs, weapons and mobile phones, helping criminals continue their operations from behind bars. Ministry of Justice data show recorded drone incidents across England and Wales rising 770% in the four years to 2023, topping 1,000 last year; HMP Manchester alone logged at least 220 drone drops in 2024. Easy access to contraband is fuelling violence and drug use, with watchdog surveys finding 39% of inmates reporting that illicit substances are readily available and some prisons recording positive drug tests for as many as six in ten prisoners. The report also identifies inadequate netting, windows and CCTV, as well as inexperienced staff, as weak points being exploited by crime gangs. Responding to the findings, Prisons Minister Lord Timpson said the government will create 14,000 additional prison places, of which 2,400 are already built, and invest £40 million in security measures, including technology to counter rogue drones. Taylor urged ministers to move quickly, warning that failure to regain control of the skies could soon make the theoretical possibility of drone-enabled escapes a reality.