PHILIP CROKER FROM GLOUCESTER JAILED FOR PRISON PHONE DRONE DELIVERY AND SEXUAL RISK ORDER BREACH
In October 2018, a disturbing case unfolded involving Philip Croker, a 30-year-old resident of Ryecroft Street in Gloucester, who was found to have engaged in illicit activities from within Bristol Prison.The court heard that Croker, a convicted sex offender, managed to obtain and use two mobile phones while incarcerated, allegedly smuggled into the prison via a drone, a method increasingly associated with prison contraband smuggling.
This illegal possession of phones enabled Croker to continue his troubling pattern of contact with a vulnerable teenage girl, despite a court-imposed order designed specifically to prevent such interactions.
At Gloucester Crown Court, Croker admitted to breaching a sexual risk order (SRO) that was put in place to protect a particular girl under the age of 18.
The court was informed that Croker had made numerous calls and sent texts to her between June 25 and July 20 of that year.
The prosecutor, Janine Wood, explained to Judge Ian Lawrie QC that the sexual risk order was originally issued on April 16 at Cheltenham Magistrates Court.
The order explicitly prohibited Croker from making any contact with the girl, who was at the time under 18, even if she invited him to do so.
The court was told that the girl, now 18, was clearly younger than that at the time of the contact.
Mrs.
Wood emphasized that Croker had previously violated the terms of this order.
She recounted that Croker was released from prison on May 4, 2018, and within just a week, he had contacted the girl approximately 400 times via phone calls.
This pattern of repeated contact led to his arrest on May 12, and he was subsequently sentenced to custody at Gloucester Crown Court.
Further investigations by the police raised suspicions that Croker had continued his illicit communication from within Bristol Prison using unlawfully held mobile phones.
Detective Constable Gavin Davis of the Gloucestershire Child Sexual Exploitation team was questioned about how the phones might have been smuggled into the prison.
Although he could not confirm the exact method, he believed that a drone was likely used to deliver the devices into the facility.
Supporting evidence was provided by Bristol Prison’s Security Governor, Chris Taylor, who stated, “Being in possession of a mobile phone, a criminal’s lifestyle continues uninterrupted.
So a sentence does not reduce crime.
They undermine safety and security, and are used to co-ordinate trafficking, which leads to assaults and disturbances.” The court noted that such activities are highly detrimental to prison discipline and safety.
During the hearing, Detective Constable Davis explained that the police had applied for the sexual risk order due to longstanding concerns about Croker’s relationships with younger women, spanning several years and involving multiple victims.
The judge acknowledged Croker’s persistent misconduct and the dangerous pattern of behavior, especially considering his mental health issues.
Judge Ian Lawrie QC sentenced Croker to 32 months in prison for breaching the sexual risk order.
Additionally, he received two concurrent sentences of 16 months each for the possession of mobile phones in prison, highlighting the seriousness with which the court viewed these violations.
The judge emphasized the need for a custodial sentence of reasonable duration, citing the ongoing risk Croker posed to young women and the broader concerns about his conduct.
