A father attempted to smuggle drugs into a high-security prison for his son, who is serving a life sentence for murder. Thomas McMahon, 64, was caught by prison staff at HMP Full Sutton as he tried to pass painkillers hidden inside a crisp packet to his son, Joseph Peers.
Peers, 29, was the getaway driver in the murder of 28-year-old Ashley Dale, who was shot dead at her home in Leinster Road, Liverpool, on August 21, 2022. He is serving a minimum term of 41 years for murder, conspiracy to murder, and firearms offences.
During a visit on June 22 last year, staff noticed McMahon moving his mouth before placing an item into a crisp packet. Identical packets were on the table, and they were rotated and moved around suspiciously. CCTV footage confirmed the swap, and when staff examined the packet, they found 14 white, oval-shaped tablets.
Prosecutor Julia Baggs told Hull Crown Court that drugs are a high-value currency in prisons and that transporting prohibited items is serious, though this was not a large-scale operation. McMahon claimed his son was suffering from back and knee pain and that the tablets were for pain relief. The prosecution did not accept this explanation but did not challenge it.
McMahon had 23 previous convictions, including a drug-driving offence in September 2023 after returning from Amsterdam. His lawyer, Billy Torbett, said the stress of his son's murder trial led to that incident. McMahon had no prior convictions for drug possession or supply.
The court heard that the painkillers had been prescribed for McMahon's own chronic pain but were unused. McMahon expressed remorse, calling it a significant error in judgment. He is now banned from visiting his son, causing emotional distress.
Recorder Taryn Turner imposed a six-month suspended prison sentence, 120 hours of unpaid work, and 15 rehabilitation days, noting that drugs in prisons fuel violence and debt. McMahon, of Dunchurch Road, Knotty Ash, was also ordered to comply with rehabilitation requirements.
Peers was the getaway driver for gunman James Witham, who fired a Skorpion submachine gun into Ashley Dale's home as she fled. She was shot in the abdomen and died at the scene. Peers was sentenced on November 22, 2023, and will be eligible for release at age 70.
