Female prison officer ‘ had killer’s child’

A FEMALE prison officer who engaged in a forbidden fling with a convicted killer gave birth to his child, a court has heard.

Kerianne Stephens, 26, appeared in court yesterday after admitting misconduct over her months- long tryst with inmate Louis Tate.

Tate, who was jailed for life in 2010 for mowing down father- ofthree Garry Frater, is believed to be the father of her young child, the court heard.

AppearingatMaidstoneCrown Court, Stephens also pleaded guilty to a charge of making unauthorised transmissions from inside a prison, meaning she will no longer stand trial on that charge next year.

She had worked as a prison officer at HMP Swaleside, a Category B men’s prison on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, where Tate was being held.

Stephens, of Woodlands Road in Aylesford, appeared in court. Tate appeared in the dock.

At a previous hearing Tate pleaded guilty to the charge of sending unauthorised transmissionsfrominsideHMP Swaleside.

He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years in 2010 for murdering Mr Frater, 32, by hitting him with a Ford Fiesta in 2009.

Mr Frater was crushed under the vehicle deliberately, the trial heard.

TateservedtimeatHMPSwaleside in Kent where Stephens worked and the pair entered into a sexual relationship.

The fling went on for several months between September 2018 and January 2019.

Tate was moved to another prison after their relationship was revealed.

Sentencing was adjourned so that a probation report on Stephens could be prepared.

Stephens was released on bail.