A Grove Park man has become the first person in the UK convicted for using a drone to smuggle contraband into prisons.

Daniel Kelly, 37, was jailed for 15 months after he admitted sending items including spice, a psychoactive legal high, and tobacco into prisons in Kent and Hertfordshire.

He was arrested on April 25, after officers from Kent Police spotted a vehicle parked in Eastchurch Road, Leysdown.

The vehicle appeared unoccupied until a person ran into the front passenger seat and sped off.

Police later found it in a holiday park in Leysdown where Kelly was arrested.

The drone, which had been spray painted black to avoid detection, was discovered in the boot of the car.

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Daniel Kelly's drone he used to smuggle band items into prison. (c.) Kent Police.

Flight data revealed that Kelly had used the drone to send items into HMP Elmley in Kent on April 20, HMP The Mount in Hertfordshire on April 24, and into HMP Swaleside, also in Kent, the following day.

Kelly, of Amblecote Meadows, had made earlier unsuccessful attempts to fly the drone into HMP Wandsworth on April 17 and April 21.

Ingrid Kelly, 25, of Wolfe Crescent in Charlton, was also charged in connection to the case but the case against her was later dropped.

Detective Sergeant Richard Allingham, the senior investigating officer, said: “I am extremely proud of the work my officers have put into this case, from beginning to end.

“It was a good piece of instinctive policing to spot the suspicious behaviour that led to Kelly's arrest and everyone involved since has spent a lot of time paying attention to minute details linked to this case.

“As with all new offences, investigating this presented challenges that we have not come across before but the officers were able to corroborate all of the evidence and secure a conviction in a relatively short space of time.”

Detective Constable Mark Silk, who served as investigating officer, said Kelly’s offences showed a “lack of respect” for the justice system.

He said: “Psychoactive substances and tobacco have an inflated value in prison and this can lead to offences being committed within.

“This places both inmates and prison staff at risk.”