New true-crime podcast Gangster Presents: Sex, Drugs & Cell Block Parties exposes one of the UK’s most shocking prison drug-smuggling scandals.
The six-part series from BBC Radio 5 Live is hosted by investigative journalist Amber Haque. It dives into the story of Amy Hatfield, a former prison mental health worker whose secret relationship with inmate Joseph Whittingham spiralled into a million-pound drug operation inside HMP Lindholme.
For the first time, Amy speaks publicly about how love, risk, and manipulation blurred the line between duty and crime.
“He told me to go buy another phone, which I did,” she reveals. “At the start we just talked about weekends away and spending time with families… but it didn’t turn out that way.”
Eventually caught attempting to smuggle drugs, including the synthetic substance Spice, into the prison, Amy was sentenced to more than ten years behind bars. Her story reveals how personal decisions can ignite institutional chaos.
Amber Haque said: “This story is one of the most complex and emotionally charged I’ve ever worked on. It’s not just about crime – it’s about vulnerability, power, and how easily the lines between right and wrong can blur behind prison walls.”
Produced by BBC Studios for BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds, Gangster Presents: Sex, Drugs & Cell Block Parties will be available as a full boxset from 14 November.
