A judge has called for an inquiry into security at Wandsworth Prison after a prisoner imported at least eight submachine guns from Germany to London from his cell.

Inmate Alexander "Smokey" Mullings, 23, was jailed for life yesterday for conspiring to import machine guns and ammunition with intent to endanger life.

The prisoner, who was already serving an eight-year sentence for a series of robberies, used a stashed mobile phone in his cell to co-ordinate the posting of the guns from Germany to London via Parcelforce.

His girlfriend, Emily Ciantar, 20, then delivered them to buyers outside prison.

Weeping in the dock at Luton Crown Court yesterday, she was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison after being found guilty of conspiring to import machine guns and ammo with intent to endanger life.

Delivering a sentence at Luton Crown Court yesterday, Judge David Farrell QC said: "In my judgement the CPS should require the Ministry of Justice to conduct some sort of investigation in the security at Wandsworth Prison. 

"It beggars belief that someone so easily and quickly could obtain an illegal phone and conduct a criminal enterprise from prison.

"Wandsworth Prison had blatantly failed in their duty. This could only be as a result of inadequate security, incompetence or some dishonest members of staff. "

He said Mullings had openly bragged on social media how much money he was making running a drug distribution network and escort agency from his cell.

The Ministry of Justice declined to comment directly on the case. But prisons minister Andrew Selous said: "We will never tolerate the use of mobile phone in prisons and will continue to clamp down on their illicit use."

He said prisons had "tough security measures", which an MOJ spokesman said include "thorough searching processes" and new legislation which will compel phone networks to block mobile phones and SIM cards if they are being used in prison.

Police unravelled the gun-running ring after a Skorpion sub-machine gun similar to one used in the Paris shootings was seized during a midnight raid in Commonside East, Mitcham, in April.

Your Local Guardian:

Spencer Inglis, 24, who lived at the address was jailed for seven and a half years yesterday for conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Ciantar, of Holloway, had taken a taxi to Mitcham prior to the police raid to deliver the gun and 74 rounds of ammunition to Inglis.

Police arrested Inglis after he fled into his back garden and told an officer: "I'll find you on your day off and shoot you."

Ciantar was arrested in June after police recovered a Blackberry with a photo of her hand with its distinctive tattoo holding a gun at Mullings' mother's address in Sutton, where she had been staying.

Police later intercepted two further sub-machine guns, one at the Parcelforce depot in Coventry and one as it was being delivered to an address in North London.

Your Local Guardian:

Emily Ciantar and Spencer Inglis were both sentenced alongside Mullings yesterday

Operations continue to recover at least five further guns which were imported by the Mullings.

Speaking to this website yesterday, Detective Chief Inspector Rebecca Reeves said: "I'm confident that action that we have taken in the months since Mullings, Ciantar and Inglis were arrested has allowed us to recover other firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

"And I'm confident that that has prevented their use and prevented shootings from taking place."

Your Local Guardian:

The guns arrived in the UK via Parcelforce from Germany.

They were live-firing weapons which had been re-activated before being posted from Cologne. 

Police declined to comment on whether there is now an operation underway to investigate the origins of the guns in Germany. 

Are you concerned about security in Wandsworth prison? Call us on 020 8722 6335.