Mother and 'dangerous' son jailed for trying to smuggle drugs into prison using tennis ball

A "dangerous offender" who held knives to the throat of a homeowner during a burglary and tried to smuggle drugs into a prison with the help of his mother has been jailed.

Jamie Challis, 25, was one of three people who turned up outside a property in Victoria Street in Bridgend on the evening of October 29, 2021.

Homeowner Mr Evans heard a knock on the front door at around 6.20pm and saw three men, all of whom were wearing dark clothing and had their faces covered, stood outside.

When Mr Evans opened a bay window, one of the men grabbed him and tried to pull him outside.

All three made it into the house and demanded that Mr Evans tell them where the money was.

When they were told there was none, one of the gang went upstairs while the other two went to the kitchen to get knives which they held close to Mr Evans' throat.

They also demanded money from Mr Evans’ wife, who described being scared and fearing that she would be killed.

The men then went out to the back of the property where the homeowners' son was in an outbuilding with his friends and demanded money from them.

By this point there were five members of the gang but those being threatened were able to escape.

After leaving the scene, one of the men was identified as Jamie Challis, of Maesglas Avenue, Newport by DNA he left behind while the other four offenders have not been located.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court was told the offence happened after Challis had been released from prison and that, while there, he conspired to smuggle drugs into the Portland Prison and Young Offender Institution in Dorset.

Prosecution barrister Matthew Cobbe told the court how, on May 6, 2020, at around 2.20pm, a blue car was seen driving near the prison at the same time that inmates were outside in the prison yard.

The car was being driven by Challis’ mother, Amanda Challis, who was said to be “acting suspiciously”.

Mr Cobbe said: “[Officers] believed that the purpose of her attendance was to throw items into the young offenders institution concealed in a tennis ball. When her car was searched a tennis ball was found and inside the ball they found cannabis resin and tobacco.”

This led to Amanda Challis, aged 55 and of Chepstow Road, Newport, being arrested and further searches of the car led to the discovery of another six tennis balls under the floor compartment of the vehicle.

In total around 97g of cannabis was found along with 70g of tobacco with a combined value in a prison setting of around £8,000.

Meanwhile, inside the prison, officers seized a mobile phone from Challis.

An analysis of the mother’s phone revealed a large number of messages back and forth to her son discussing plans for getting items into the prison.

Both Jamie and Amanda Challis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to convey a 'list A' prohibited article into a prison while Jamie Challis also pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary for the offence in Bridgend and separate offences of driving a motor vehicle dangerously, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and possession of drugs with intent to supply.

Gareth Williams, appearing for Jamie Challis, said his client was not the lead offender in the burglary incident but conceded that he was one of the men holding a knife.

He said: “He is not an intimidating character but one that is easily led.”

Addressing Jamie Challis in court, Judge Paul Hobson told him: “At the age of 25 you have a number of previous convictions. You appear to be sentenced for a large number of criminal offences, serious individually and collectively, between May 2020 and January 2023. You clearly are a dangerous offender.”

The judge sentenced him to 14-and-a-half years in prison with an extended licence period of five years. He must serve two-thirds of his custodial sentence behind bars before being considered for release.

He was also disqualified from driving for a period of 14 years and eight months and told he must pass an extended driving test before he will be allowed to drive again once the ban is complete.

Offering mitigation in court for Amanda Challis, David Purnell said his client was “largely persuaded by her son to be involved in this enterprise”.

He added: “Her greatest mitigation is the fact that she has entered a guilty plea. This is a defendant who has come to court to accept her fate.”

Referring to a suspended sentence that Amanda Challis was subject to at the time of her offending Judge Hobson told her: “Your conduct shows a blatant disregard for the law and for court orders. You played a lesser role than your son albeit a significant one.”

She was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

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