A mum-of-two dubbed ‘Hayley Escobar’ was a key figure in a major organised crime gang bringing drugs to the island.

Hayley Williams, 39, was described in court as a ‘trusted lieutenant’ of one of the island’s biggest drug dealers, Jamie Smith, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.

Covert audio surveillance carried out by the Isle of Man Constabulary recorded Smith referring to her as ‘Hayley Escobar’ while she referred to herself as the ‘Queen’ and Smith as the ‘King’.

During her sentencing at the Court of General Gaol Delivery on Tuesday, prosecutor Roger Kane said these names demonstrated how high up she was within the organised gang.

Williams, of Springfield Road, Pulrose, was jailed for a total of 15 years and six months having previously admitted nine drugs offences across three separate sets of offending.

Mr Kane told the court the first offences related to covert police surveillance which saw officers bug a room at the Comis Hotel on the outskirts of Douglas.

Between October 20, 2023 and November 19, 2023, Smith’s room was bugged, providing evidence he was running a drug dealing operation.

Williams was recorded on a number of occasions and was seen coming in and out of the hotel during which she dealt drugs and collected money.

She was a delivery driver for an Indian restaurant during which she also delivered drugs.

She was complimented by Smith for her ‘efficiency’ after making ten deals in one evening.

Mr Kane said: ‘The defendant followed orders and was subservient to Smith. She was a trusted lieutenant.

‘She was dividing and weighing drugs where her children were present in the house.

‘She referred to herself as the Queen and Smith as the king while he also referred to her as Hayley Escobar.’

Police executed a warrant at her address and found cannabis with a street value of £1,100.

She was arrested and claimed the drugs were partly to help her mum with pain relief.

During the second set of offences, on May 8, 2024, prisoner Scott Eric Carbutt collected packages containing class A drugs MDMA (ecstasy) and cocaine, as well as the class B drug ketamine and two SIM cards which had been thrown over the prison walls by people outside.

Carbutt was carrying out gardening work in the grounds outside the prison, during which time he went to the toilet several times, claiming he had stomach problems.

When being returned to the prison, Carbutt was placed in a holding cell which had been checked beforehand.

He was strip searched and also required to go through a body scanner. However, a prison officer found a jumper belonging to Carbutt in the holding cell.

When the officer picked it up, a package fell out which was later found to contain 26.6 grams of MDMA, 3.27 grams of cocaine and 14.61 grams of ketamine, as well as two Manx Telecom SIM cards.

Carbutt was sentenced to five years and four months in prison for his role.

Williams and another person were seen on CCTV just after 1am on May 7 at a garage in Douglas purchasing two SIM cards and a pack of condoms.

Phone data from Williams’ phone also tracked her heading to Jurby that night and returning home again.

She initially denied any involvement and claimed she had gone to Jurby in the middle of the night to ‘take the dogs for a walk’.

DNA belonging to Williams was also found on the package.

In her basis of plea, Williams said she handed the package to a third party at Sandygate who then threw the drugs over the prison walls.

The most serious set of offences took place on May 18, 2024 when Williams was part of another gang bringing cocaine into the island.

Williams was spotted by officers in a Honda car which was parked on Central Promenade in Douglas.

She was driving and had a male passenger.

Two men, who had only just disembarked from the ferry, were seen walking along before getting into the vehicle.

Williams then drove to the car park on May 18, 2024 at the Best Western Hotel on Douglas promenade during which a package was exchanged for cash.

In total, two packages were found in the footwell of her car containing 635.74g of cocaine with a street value of between £55,920 and £111,830.

A sum of £13,090 in cash was also found in the possession of the two men from the ferry while Williams and the passenger both had £1,000 in cash on them, thought to be payment for their involvement.

In mitigation, Williams’ advocate Louise Cooil clarified that while the children were in the house when she was dividing and weighing drugs, they were not in the same part of the property.

Miss Cooil also pointed to the guilty pleas and the fact her client had no relevant previous convictions.

She added: ‘There is genuine remorse, not for herself but for her children. This will have a significant impact on them. ‘She was suffering with addiction and found herself working for those higher up the chain but she was never at the top.

‘This was not a woman who set out to enjoy a lavish lifestyle. She was not driving expensive cars or buying expensive clothes.

‘She still worked as a cleaner and a delivery driver and did not benefit in a material way.’

Deemster Graeme Cook expressed disappointment at seeing a mother of two young children in court.

He told Williams: ‘It is a sign of the times that you appear in this court having pleaded to drug production and supplying. ‘It saddens me that a woman with such responsibility as a mother appears in court for these offences.

‘Members of the public are getting sick and tired of the amount of drugs coming into this island and this type of activity will not be tolerated.’

Deemster Cook said the lead offence was the production of the 635.74g of cocaine on May 18, 2024 for which she was handed a prison sentence of nine years and two months.

She was also handed a consecutive sentence of six years and four months for being concerned in the supply of the 26.6g of MDMA to the prison.

The other six offences of either drug supply or production and leaving prohibited articles in a place intending items to come into the possession of a detainee at the Isle of Man Prison were all concurrent sentences.