Shameless Birmingham couple's drug shed was next door to primary school

A shameless couple's drug shed at the heart of nationwide plot to smuggle 'spice' into prisons was just a few feet from a Birmingham primary school, a satellite image shows. Larry Barnett senior, 61, and Andrea Simpkin, 53, used their back garden shed at Plowden Road, Stechford, to 'impregnate' pieces of paper with the class B synthetic cannabinoid.

Their son and step-son, Larry Barnett junior, was the driver of the plot, which involved disguising the paper as fake legal letters to bypass security checking procedures at jails. Earlier this month he was given extra prison-time on top of the 21-year sentence he was already serving for robbery and firearms offences.

Barnett senior and Simpkin were handed suspended prison sentences and allowed to return home. A Google Earth image of their address shows how close their drug shed was to Audley Primary School, albeit separated by a fence. We have cropped their home out of the image to avoid identifying the property.

READ MORE: 'Hideous' city B&M store shut down over mice in chocolate aisle

During Barnett junior's trial prosecutor Robert Forrest said: "In their garden shed was a table which tested positive for NPS (new psychoactive substance), synthetic cannabinoid, and there were also gloves and masks. The prosecution say it's pretty clear the garden shed was being used as a base from which this operation could be run."

It was estimated a single sheet of paper sprayed with spice would be worth hundreds of pounds in a prison. The plot operated between March and December 2019 during which Barnett senior and Simpkin received £48,000-worth of unidentified cash deposits into their accounts despite neither having lawful employment.

HMP Birmingham, HMP Hewell in Worcestershire, and HMP Stoke Heath in Shropshire were among prisons targeted, as well as HMP Parc in Bridgend, HMP Doncaster, HMP Manchester and others in Lancashire. A total of 14 letters were intercepted in total but it was believed those were the 'tip of the iceberg'.

Mr Forest outlined the 'devastating' impact of spice in jails, saying psychoactive substances had been a feature in the deaths of 75 prisoners since January 2018. He said: "Those responsible for the supply and distribution of illicit substances into prisons actively contribute to to increased levels of violence, the increased likelihood of self harm and exacerbate the decline of mental health."

Mr Forrest said drugs caused inmates to wrack up debts and they were themselves pressured into carrying illegal phones as well as attacking other prisoners and staff. Paper sprayed with spice also resulted in a higher risk of overdose due to users not knowing exactly how much liquid was on it, he said.

Barnett junior, previously from Lichfield, was found guilty of conspiracy to convey drugs into a prison and sentenced to two years and six months. That will run consecutive to the 21 years he was handed in 2020. His father and step-mother admitted the same offence.

Barnett senior was sentenced to 19 months, suspended for two years, and Simpkin was sentenced to two years, suspended for the same period. The court heard both had health issues and Simpkin had mainly acted under the direction of Barnett senior who only involved himself because his son 'got into trouble' in prison.

Judge Melbourne Inman KC, also concluded there had been an 'exceptional' delay in prosecuting the case which had 'changed the landscape'. He told the couple: "Not without considerable hesitation the balance of fairness and public interest falls just on the side of extending mercy to both of you two. I do take into account it was your son who effectively brought you into this dock."