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 the nicknames demonstrated the level of trust Smith placed in Williams and how high up she was within the organised drug operation.

Williams, of Springfield Road, Pulrose, was jailed for a total of 15 years and six months after previously admitting nine drug 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 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 entering and leaving the hotel while dealing drugs and collecting money.

She also worked as a delivery driver for an Indian restaurant, during which she delivered drugs alongside food orders. Smith praised her ‘efficiency’ after she completed ten deals in a single 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 later executed a warrant at her address and discovered cannabis with a street value of £1,100. She was arrested and claimed the drugs were partly intended to help her mother with pain relief.

The second set of offences involved drugs being thrown over the walls of the Isle of Man Prison.

On May 8, 2024, prisoner Scott Eric Carbutt collected packages containing MDMA (ecstasy), cocaine and ketamine, along with two SIM cards which had been thrown over the prison wall by people outside.

Carbutt had been carrying out gardening work outside the prison grounds and repeatedly went to the toilet claiming stomach problems.

When he returned inside, officers later discovered a package hidden in a jumper in the holding cell containing 26.6g of MDMA, 3.27g of cocaine, 14.61g of ketamine and two Manx Telecom SIM cards.

Carbutt was later jailed for five years and four months for his involvement.

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

Phone data also placed her travelling to Jurby that night before returning home.

She initially denied involvement and claimed she had travelled north in the middle of the night to ‘take the dogs for a walk’. However, her DNA was later found on the package.

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

The most serious offences occurred on May 18, 2024, when Williams was involved in another gang operation bringing cocaine into the island.

She was spotted by officers sitting in a Honda parked on Central Promenade in Douglas, where she was driving with a male passenger.

Two men who had just arrived on the ferry were seen getting into the vehicle before Williams drove to the car park of the Best Western Hotel on the promenade where a package was exchanged for cash.

Officers later discovered two packages in the footwell of her car containing a total of 635.74g of cocaine with a street value estimated between £55,920 and £111,830.

Police also found £13,090 in cash on the two men from the ferry, while Williams and her passenger both had £1,000 each, believed to be payment for their role.

In mitigation, Williams’ advocate Louise Cooil said that although the children were in the house when drugs were being weighed, they were not in the same room.

She also highlighted her client’s guilty pleas and lack of relevant previous convictions.

Miss Cooil said: ‘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.’

Deemster Graeme Cook said it saddened him to see a mother of two young children appearing before the court.

He told Williams: ‘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.’

The lead offence related to the production of the 635.74g cocaine on May 18, 2024, for which she received nine years and two months in prison.

She was also given a consecutive sentence of six years and four months for involvement in the supply of MDMA to the prison.

The remaining six offences were dealt with concurrently.