Tanya Petrie, of Worle, has been jailed for sneaking drugs and tobacco into HMP Bristol. Pictures: Avon & Somerset Police/Google

Somerset pharmacy worker Tanya Petrie jailed for sneaking drugs into HMP Bristol

Paul JonesFebruary 25, 20260 Comment0

SOMERSET prison worker woman Tanya Petrie has been jailed after being found guilty of sneaking drugs and tobacco into HMP Bristol.

Petrie worked as a pharmacy technician at the jail when, in October 2023, she was seen by police collecting an item from a wheelie bin outside a property in the city.

The 61-year-old was later stopped and searched at the prison and found to be in possession of class B drugs, cocaine, and tobacco.

She was arrested and later charged with conspiring to bring list A and list B prohibited articles in to the prison.

At Bristol Crown Court on February 12, Petrie was found guilty by a jury over the list A items, following a previous guilty plea for list B items.

And on February 16 she was sentenced at the same court to six years and three months in prison.

Tanya Petrie, of Worle, has been jailed for sneaking drugs and tobacco into HMP Bristol. Picture: Avon & Somerset Police

The court was told how Petrie was seen collecting a package from a bin in Somerdale Avenue, Bristol, at 6.30am on October 17, 2023.

One of the occupants of the address was 23-year-old Casey Collins, from Knowle West, who put the item in the bin.

Following the discovery of the illicit contents of the package at HMP Bristol, officers identified two phone numbers being used within the prison.

A phone was linked to prisoner Kyle Joyner, 32, and officers discovered he had been using the phone to contact Collins.

Later, evidence emerged of another trip to the wheelie bin by Petrie the same month, which she claimed had been to collect money to buy SIM cards from a garage, which she then snuck this into the prison for a prisoner.

Joyner, Collins and Petrie were all charged in the summer of 2024.

Joyner and Collins pleaded guilty to conveying listed A prohibited items into the prison in January 2025 and were jailed for three years and two years and four months respectively. For Joyner, the sentence will be served in addition to his existing term of eight years and eight months.

Senior Investigating Officer, DI Tim Seaman from the Serious and Organised Crime Team, said: “This case shows the proactive and determined work carried out by our team and our partners to uncover and dismantle a criminal conspiracy operating both inside and outside the prison walls.

HMP Bristol. Picture: Google

“By working closely with colleagues at HMP Bristol, HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) Counter Corruption and the Regional Prison Corruption team within the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit, we were able to swiftly identify the actions of a member of staff who was abusing her position of trust to smuggle dangerous drugs and illicit items into the prison.

“Such actions enable organised crime, fuel violence, and undermine the hard work of honest staff who dedicate themselves to running secure and rehabilitative environments.

“This investigation sends a clear message: our investigations into organised crime will identify those who facilitate organised criminality and we will work tirelessly with our partners, and use every tactic available to bring those involved in corruption to justice – regardless of their role or position.”