More jail staff than ever have affairs with inmates

THE number of prison officers caught having affairs has hit a record high, with 36 warders sacked over relationships in the past three years.

Thirty one female prison officers and five male warders have been sacked for misconduct since 2019, nearly double the 19 female staff dismissed over the previous four years, according to Ministry of Justice (MOJ) figures released under Freedom of Information laws.

They included one officer who had an inmate’s baby, another who had her lover’s cell number tattooed on her thigh and the governor of Onley prison in Northamptonshire who was jailed for intimate communications with an inmate. It follows concerns raised by inspectors and unions that high staff turnover has resulted in a greater num- ber of young recruits being placed in front-line roles. Over the past five years, the number of female prison staff has risen by 27 per cent to 15,000 and now account for 42 per cent of all staff.

As part of an MOJ crackdown, a new counter-corruption team has been working with 20 police officers from organised crime units to root out corrupt warders.