A prison nurse who smuggled a mobile phone into a jail as part of a major drug operation has been struck off the nursing register after regulators ruled she had brought the profession into serious disrepute. Kymberley Finn, aged 33, was working at HMP Durham on an agency contract when she became embroiled in what police described as a complex organised drug conspiracy.
Unravelling of the Criminal Scheme
The illicit scheme began to unravel when officers conducting a routine search of a cell at HMP Northumberland in August 2022 discovered a concealed mobile phone. This device contained incriminating messages discussing drug distribution and other contraband activities. The discovery triggered a wider investigation that exposed a coordinated plot to smuggle drugs into both HMP Northumberland and HMP Durham.
Legal Proceedings and Conviction
Finn, who hails from Boldon Colliery, was one of eight individuals sentenced in January 2025 for their roles in this extensive conspiracy. Although she was not directly charged with drug offences, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to convey prohibited articles into a prison. The court handed her a nine-month jail term, which was suspended for 18 months, alongside mandatory rehabilitation requirements. Authorities identified Finn as a significant participant in the operation to smuggle the phone into the prison facility.
Professional Misconduct Hearing
Following her criminal conviction, the Nursing and Midwifery Council initiated formal misconduct proceedings against Finn. In a ruling issued in January 2026, the disciplinary panel concluded that Finn had been a key participant in a conspiracy involving multiple individuals to introduce banned items into a prison. The panel emphasised that she had knowingly abused her professional position of trust.
The decision stated, "Taking into account Miss Finn's significant breach of trust and her own understanding that what she was doing was illegal, the panel found that maintenance of public confidence in the nursing profession required a finding of impairment. Members of the public would be appalled if a registered nurse were not found impaired in circumstances where the nurse had abused their position of trust in this manner."
Factors Considered and Final Outcome
The panel acknowledged several mitigating factors, including Finn's early guilty plea, her previously unblemished professional record, and the fact that no patients suffered direct harm as a result of her actions. However, these considerations were outweighed by the gravity of her misconduct.
The ruling concluded that any sanction less severe than removal from the register would be "disproportionate to the gravity of the offence" and "insufficient to address public interest concerns." The panel determined that the seriousness of Finn's behaviour was at a high level and that her actions were fundamentally incompatible with remaining on the professional register.
As a result, Kymberley Finn has been permanently removed from the NMC register. This action effectively bars her from working in any capacity as a registered nurse, midwife, or nursing associate in the future, marking a definitive end to her nursing career due to her involvement in criminal activities that compromised prison security.
