Teen used massive catapult to fire parcels packed with contraband over walls of HMP Five Wells

Keylun Barker, 19, was caught red-handed after he catapulted the packages into the exercise yard of £253m super-prison HMP Five Wells.

Police were alerted by a member of the public who spotted Barker and another man carrying sports bags and making their way to the perimeter wall of HMP Five Wells at about 10.20am on October 26 last year.

But an off-duty cop had also spotted Barker’s car, which being driven by a woman, near the prison.

More police officers arrived on the scene and were able to box-in the car and arrest the occupants.

Barker explained the muddy and wet bottoms of his trousers by saying that he had been playing football.

Prosecuting at Northampton Crown Court, barrister Micaila Williams, said that Barker, of Bromsgrove Street, Kidderminster, had successfully shot three of his four parcels into the prison.

She said: “On the defendant’s mobile phone were Snapchat images taken on the day in question inside the vehicle with one of the packages in his hands.

"In his notes were found messages that read: ‘Man’s literally gonna do this for my uncle in jail and then I’ll be back active.’

“There were messages between him and someone in the prison called Dan. He said he was in the church walking back to G-Wing, but not to throw the packages ‘until Harry says’.

“Barker also told them that he had been spotted at the edge of the prison but that they had ‘got off’.”

The first package contained two blocks of cannabis and some cocaine, the second had four mobile phone chargers, two phones and tobacco and Rizlas. In the third bundle was another block of cannabis, more tobacco, two more mobiles and two SIMs.

Officers searching the perimeter found the catapult and a fourth package that Barker had failed to launch.

It contained 57.48g of heroin. The court heard it had a value of between £1,500 and £3,000 outside the prison, but could sell for up to ten times that inside the jail.

The court was told Barker had five previous youth convictions, and was on bail at the time of the offence.

He said that he had not known exactly what was in the packages when he sent them over the wall.

In mitigation, advocate Dan Svoronos said that his client had ADHD and PTSD and had a very traumatic childhood, spending much of it in care. He had left school aged just 13 and had lived in 13 different homes before he was 18.

"He’s of a very young age,” said Mr Svoronos. “He has a very difficult and deprived background.

"His vulnerability was exploited by those committing these offences.

"He’s now extremely remorseful for his involvement.”

Barker admitted nine offences including five of conveying banned items into prison and one of attempting to do so, plus three of being concerned in the supply of drugs.

He nodded and looked contrite as he was told his fate by His Honour Judge David Herbert KC, who said: “Supplying drugs at any time is serious, but supplying drugs into the prison system is much more serious.

"The drugs black market in prison is used as a form of currency.”

He was given two years in a young offenders’ institution, of which he will serve half.

The prison opened in 2022 and houses 1,700 men. It has recently come under fire from prison inspectors concerned about the safety of inmates. There were two deaths there in December including one that is being treated as murder.

Last week a man was given extra jail time after it emerged he beat up a prison officer.