Prison guard ‘smuggled her knickers and naked pictures to inmate lover’
A PRISON officer smuggled knickers and naked pictures into jail for her inmate lover, a court was told yesterday.
Barbara Dyer, 26, allegedly had a physical relationship with saul Powell, who was serving a 17-year sentence for armed robbery.
The relationship is said to have continued after she quit and was moved to another wing of HMP Winchester while she served out her notice.
Jane Rowley, prosecuting, said Dyer sent Powell letters and telephoned him using two different false names. Officers became suspicious and identified her by listening to recordings, she said.
‘it seems that during her time on one wing, Miss Dyer befriended a prisoner – saul Powell,’ said Miss Rowley. ‘During that time they developed a close personal relationship and the prosecution say she is guilty of misconduct.
‘There is nothing wrong with prisoners having relationships with people outside, but you can imagine it is a gross breach of trust for prison officers to do so with prisoners.
‘As a result of befriending Powell, this led to a romantic relationship, which was sexual and intimate. By the time she handed in her notice, Miss Dyer was no longer working on Powell’s wing but still contacting him by letter and telephone calls. she also sent him intimate photographs … and a pair of her knickers.’
The jury heard details of a string of sexually-charged letters Dyer sent to Powell. in the first she said: ‘Right now it is 71,569 hours until you are eligible for parole.
‘It was sexual and intimate’
‘To me you are more than your prison number, you are a human. You deserve to have dreams and aspirations. When you come out i will support you. We can go to a hotel. i will be taking your clothes off you in the elevator.’
she went on to describe a series of sexual acts she hoped to per- form on him.
One of Dyer’s colleagues at the Hampshire prison – 33-year- old Matthew Pritchard – is accused of facilitating the relationship.
‘He not only agreed to, but did smuggle letters into prison,’ said Miss Rowley.
‘Prisoners are allowed to have letters but they are checked and have to go through the official channels.
‘The letters written were taken by Mr Pritchard and on one occasion he not only circumvented the route for letters but actually took in a letter with intimate photos of Miss Dyer and a pair of her knickers.
‘You will hear that Miss Dyer accepts all contact with Mr Powell, but she does not accept she committed an offence as the relationship started after she left the wing he was on.’ One of Dyer’s letters mentioned Pritchard: ‘You can trust the person i got to pop this letter under your door. He is just the can opener that is helping me get to the beans.’
Dyer claims her knickers were found in Powell’s cell because she had been menstruating while at work and had put the underwear in a bin.
she accepts that the intimate photographs are of her.
Pritchard insists he does not know how the images ended up in the prisoner’s cell, Winchester Crown Court heard.
The court was told the relationship took place between February 1 and April 2 last year.
Dyer, of Bournemouth, and Pritchard of southwick, Hampshire, deny misconduct in a public office. The trial continues.