A prison nurse who became involved in an organised scheme to smuggle prohibited items into custody has been removed from the nursing register following a misconduct ruling that concluded her actions were incompatible with continued professional practice. Kymberley Finn, 33, was working on an agency contract at HMP Durham when she agreed to take a mobile phone into prison on behalf of others connected to a wider drugs conspiracy.
Although she was not convicted of supplying drugs, the phone she helped introduce was later linked by police to messages about drug trafficking within the prison estate. The case has drawn attention to the vulnerabilities within custodial environments, the responsibilities placed on healthcare staff working in prisons, and the standards expected by professional regulators when trust is breached.
Finn’s involvement came to light after officers discovered a mobile phone during a cell search at HMP Northumberland in August 2022. The device contained messages relating to drugs, and its recovery triggered a broader investigation into a coordinated effort to smuggle contraband into both HMP Northumberland and HMP Durham. Finn was subsequently identified as one of eight people involved in the plot.
In January 2025, she was sentenced after admitting conspiracy to convey prohibited articles into prison. Her nine-month prison sentence was suspended for 18 months, with additional rehabilitation requirements imposed by the court. The criminal proceedings were followed by regulatory action from the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which ultimately concluded that she should be struck off the register.
The Smuggling Conspiracy and Criminal Proceedings
The conspiracy uncovered by police was described as complex and organised, involving multiple individuals operating across more than one prison. Mobile phones are regarded by prison authorities as high-risk contraband because they allow inmates to communicate without monitoring, coordinate criminal activity, intimidate witnesses, and arrange the supply of drugs and other prohibited items.
In this case, investigators determined that the phone Kymberley Finn smuggled into HMP Durham formed part of a broader network facilitating drug distribution inside prisons in the North East of England. Finn’s role centred on using her position as a nurse to bypass security checks that would ordinarily prevent such items from entering custody.
Working on an agency basis did not lessen her access or responsibilities; she was still subject to the same rules and expectations as permanent staff. Prosecutors accepted that she did not personally supply drugs and did not face charges directly related to drug trafficking. However, by agreeing to take the phone into prison, she enabled others to use it for illicit purposes, which was sufficient to establish her guilt in the conspiracy to convey prohibited articles.
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At sentencing in January 2025, the court took into account her early guilty plea and lack of previous convictions. The suspended sentence reflected those mitigating factors, as well as the fact that she had not been found with drugs herself. Nonetheless, the court recognised the seriousness of the offence, particularly given her professional role within a secure environment. The case underscored how even a single prohibited item can have far-reaching consequences within prisons, amplifying the risks to staff, inmates, and the wider public.
Regulatory Action by the Nursing and Midwifery Council
Following Finn’s conviction, the Nursing and Midwifery Council initiated misconduct proceedings to assess whether she remained fit to practise. The NMC’s role is not to punish criminal behaviour, but to protect the public, maintain confidence in the profession, and uphold professional standards. In its ruling delivered in January 2026, the panel focused on Finn’s abuse of trust and the deliberate nature of her actions.
The panel concluded that Finn was “a significant participant” in the conspiracy and that she knew her conduct was illegal at the time. It found that she had exploited her position as a nurse to introduce a banned item into a prison, a setting where professional integrity and adherence to rules are particularly critical. The ruling stated that maintaining public confidence in the nursing profession required a finding that her fitness to practise was impaired.
According to the panel, members of the public would be appalled if a registered nurse were not found impaired after abusing their position in such a way. In reaching its decision, the panel considered mitigating factors presented on Finn’s behalf. These included her early guilty plea, previously good character, and the absence of evidence that any patient had been harmed as a result of her actions. It also acknowledged that she had cooperated with the authorities and expressed remorse. Despite these factors, the panel determined that the seriousness of the misconduct was at a high level.
It concluded that any sanction short of striking her off would be disproportionate to the gravity of the offence and insufficient to address public interest concerns. As a result, Finn was removed from the NMC register, preventing her from working as a registered nurse, midwife, or nursing associate. The decision reflects the regulator’s position that certain breaches of trust, particularly those involving criminal conduct in secure settings, are fundamentally incompatible with continued registration.
Professional Trust, Prison Healthcare, and Wider Implications
Healthcare professionals working in prisons occupy a uniquely sensitive position. They are responsible for delivering care to a vulnerable population while operating within an environment governed by strict security measures. Their access to secure areas and their interactions with prisoners place them in a position of considerable trust, both from their employer and from the public. When that trust is breached, the consequences can extend beyond the individual case.
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The Finn case highlights the risks posed by contraband such as mobile phones in prisons. These devices can undermine security, facilitate drug trafficking, and enable ongoing criminal activity from within custody. When staff members are involved in introducing such items, it raises concerns about safeguards, recruitment, and oversight within prison healthcare services. While the vast majority of healthcare staff in prisons adhere to high professional standards, cases like this can erode public confidence and prompt scrutiny of institutional controls.
From a regulatory perspective, the decision to strike Finn off reinforces the NMC’s emphasis on integrity and trust as core components of professional practice. Even where direct patient harm is absent, conduct that significantly damages public confidence can justify the most serious sanctions. The panel’s reasoning reflects a broader principle applied across regulated professions: that the privilege of registration carries obligations extending beyond clinical competence, encompassing honesty, lawfulness, and respect for the responsibilities entrusted to professionals.
The outcome also serves as a reminder to agency staff and those working on temporary contracts that professional standards apply equally, regardless of employment status. Access to secure environments is granted on the assumption that staff will comply with rules designed to protect safety and security. Breaching those rules, particularly for personal or criminal gain, can have lasting consequences for professional careers.
For prison authorities and healthcare providers, the case may prompt renewed focus on training, supervision, and support for staff working in challenging environments. Pressures inherent in custodial healthcare, including staffing shortages and exposure to manipulation by inmates or external actors, are recognised risks. Addressing those pressures while maintaining firm boundaries is essential to preventing similar incidents.
Kymberley Finn’s removal from the nursing register marks the end of her ability to practise within the profession she trained for, and it stands as a clear statement from the regulator about the seriousness of her conduct. The panel’s conclusion that her actions were fundamentally incompatible with remaining on the register reflects the high value placed on trust within nursing and the expectation that those granted professional status will uphold it, even in the most demanding and complex settings.