A mum who was convicted of smuggling drugs into the prison where she worked ranted on Facebook that there was "absolutely no evidence whatsoever".
Megan Woodham burst into tears this week as she was jailed for her role in the cocaine and ketamine trafficking ring. A trial at Liverpool Crown Court previously heard that she had conveyed illicit substances into HMP Risley in Warrington - where the 30-year-old was employed as a healthcare assistant - and handed them over to inmate Daniel Doran, as well as allowing her home to be used as a "safehouse" by a gang.
The ECHO can now reveal that the mum to a 12-year-old girl had been posting on social media throughout the court process, and moaned "the justice system is on its neck" after the jury returned guilty verdicts against her.
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Woodham posted an image if the words "in time the truth will come out, I will be cleared" on November 20, ahead of the beginning of the trial. She added in a caption; "I hope your [sic] all ready for the truth and EVIDENCE. I hope you rot in hell you absolute piece of s***. Karma."
On the eve of the prosecution's opening, she told her followers: "Too say I’m scared is an understatement I’m absolutely terrified. My life is in a jury’s hands from tomorrow for something I’ve never done.
"I hope the absolute horror is happy with what it’s caused. Karma is a b**** though and I’ll have my time - scum of the earth. I’m not religious in anyway but Jesus I’ve never prayed as much. Thank you for all your well wishes."
A week later on December 11, Woodham posted: "Just about feeling human from that terrible cold and a full week in court.
"That place is mentally and physically draining back tomorrow for week 2! Can’t wait till it’s over with!"
She added the following day: "I’ve been getting so many messages everyday and after sitting in court all day I’ll be honest I can’t be bothered too reply too everyone individually although im greatful for your messages. I’m on day 9 of my trial tomorrow, I gave my defence on Friday, it’s the barristers speeches tomorrow and the jury should hopefully reach a verdict for Wednesday or Thursday.
"Thank you too everyone for your well wishes I appreciate them all. I’m just emotionally and physically drained from sitting through a trial for something I did not do! X"
Woodham said on December 14, after jurors had retired to consider their verdicts: "And that’s a wrap, 11 days on trail proving my innocence for something I did not do. The jury have now gone out to get a verdict so it’s a waiting game."
But she was then convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine and ketamine. In a Facebook post which was later deleted, Woodham ranted: "In February my life got turned upside down, getting raided, arrested and charged with drug offences what I never did.
"My original trial was cancelled in August and moved to December. I've just done 12 days on trial what was horrible. Absolutely no evidence whatsoever and somehow I've been found guilty of both charges. I'm back on January 9 to get sentenced for something I had absolutely no involvement with, and there's proof I never did.
"The justice system is on its neck big time. How the hell can 12 random people decide if you're guilty when there's zero evidence.
"Absolutely gutted. Hopefully this stops the rumours what are flying around."
Woodham added in the comments of this post: "The judge said there's no scientific evidence such as when Megan was raided there no drugs found in her home or on her person. The forensics have come back and Megan DNA was not found on the 10 kilos, no drugs was found on Megan in the prison neither was any drugs found in Doran's cell.
"And the judge said you must take into account Megan good character and she's most likely to be telling the truth. So how the hell have I got a guilty on that?
"Seriously. The system is on its neck."
A trial previously heard that Doran - of Hall Lane in Kirkby - was a serving prisoner at HMP Risley between December 2021 and February 2022, with fellow defendant Woodham having been employed as a health worker in the jail. David Watson, prosecuting, described how they - together with co-defendants Kelsey Higgins and John Butler - were "involved in the supply of a very large quantity of high purity cocaine".
The inmate had access to a mobile phone while behind bars and "organised the moving of cocaine from location to location" from his cell "under the noses of authorities". Woodham was said to have "formed some sort of relationship" with the 32-year-old through her work and would "willingly assist him by allowing her home address to be used for the storage of parcels" of drugs.
Higgins meanwhile was described as a close associate of Doran's cousin Butler, who was arrested while travelling to his home in possession of 10kg of cocaine on January 8 last year. His Volkwagen Golf was stopped by police on Dunnings Bridge Road, near to the junction with Heyshaw Road in Netherton and heading in the direction of the Bootle area.
Officers discovered a black bag in the passenger footwell which contained 10 packages of the class A drug containing 1kg each. These illicit substances had an estimated street value of up to a million pounds.
This seizure sparked an investigation by Merseyside Police, with Butler's seized phone revealing his communications with co-conspirators. He was described as having been "used to carry out criminal tasks" by Doran.
The probe also uncovered a "separate agreement" between Woodham and Doran, in which she "agreed to assist him by taking delivery of packages of ketamine from his criminal associates". She then smuggled these drugs into Risley prison, going undetected thanks to her job, and handed them over to the inmate.
Doran was found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine but admitted conspiracy to supply ketamine and was jailed for 15 years by Judge Stuart Driver KC on Tuesday. Appearing on video from HMP Altcourse, he shook his head before laughing.
Higgins, of Ridgewood Drive in Orrell Park, was convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine by a jury. He was handed 13-and-a-half years and similarly reacted by shaking his head before taking off his glasses, leaning back and smiling.
Woodham, of Ormskirk Road in Pemberton, burst into tears after being jailed for six years. She then turned to members of her family in the public gallery and said: "I love you."
Butler, of Clements Way in Tower Hill, was jailed for eight years in February last year. The 27-year-old admitted possession of cocaine with intent to supply.
Meanwhile, Doran's mum Valerie Doran was found guilty of money laundering. The 54-year-old, also of Hall Lane, will be sentenced later this month.
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