Prison officer received 180 telephone calls from inmate
THEY WERE SEEN LAUGHING AND JOKING – AND RUMOURS LED TO ADMISSION OF RELATIONSHIP
A PRISON officer confirmed to friends she was in a relationship with an inmate when she was confronted regarding rumours about them.
Joanne Elliott, 40, of Suttonin-ashfield, formed a relationship with the prisoner who was serving an indeterminate sentence at HMP Lowdham Grange.
“They were obviously fond of each other,” said Richard Sheldon, prosecuting at Nottingham Crown Court.
“That was observed by members of staff and other inmates.
“They were seen together often laughing and joking, and matters really came to a head when the defendant went away with friends in February 2019”.
She was confronted by friends about rumours that were rife about her and the prisoner.
An investigation was launched. It was found there had been extensive telephone contact outside a custodial setting.
There were 180 telephone calls. The inmate rang her from his cell, the court heard.
Mr Sheldon said “she had only just started in the prison service when she met him”.
Elliott pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office.
Almas Ben-aribia, representing Elliott, said she had lost “what would have been a very decent career”.
She began working at the prison in March 2018, and the phone calls began in November 2018.
“My instructions are the relationship lasted four to five months, from November 2018 to February the following year”.
Judge John Burgess said it was not a physical relationship.
But he said: “This was extremely stupid and you lost your job as a result of it and it could have been far worse”.
He imposed an 18-month community order, 50 hours of unpaid work and 30 rehabilitation activity days. The judge said of the order: “It should provide you with support and training that will help you in your life to avoid situations like this in the future”.