A prison officer accused of secretly communicating with a serving inmate at a scandal-hit jail is set to face trial at crown court. Michaela Crawford, 34, has been charged with misconduct in a public office over allegations she had improper contact with a prisoner while working at HMP Deerbolt in Barnard Castle, County Durham.
Allegations of Improper Contact
Prosecutors claim Crawford 'wilfully' communicated with inmate Carl Catleugh 'without reasonable excuse or justification' at the category-C prison in August 2024. They allege she abused the public's trust by engaging with a serving prisoner while employed as a prison officer.
Crawford, from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, appeared at Peterlee Magistrates' Court this week, where her case was sent to Durham Crown Court without a plea being entered. She was released on unconditional bail ahead of her next hearing in May.
District Judge Steven Hood warned Crawford: 'The case, as I said, has to go to the crown court. If you fail to attend Durham Crown Court then you commit a further offence, and there could be a warrant put out for your arrest.'
Second Officer from Same Prison
HMP Deerbolt has a history of inappropriate relationships between prison officers and inmates. Crawford is the second guard from the prison to face court this year for a similar offence. In February, former officer Ellis Eyles was jailed for eight months after admitting misconduct in public office over a romance with convicted murderer Mitchell Ingham.
Crawford had no comment when approached at her beautician business in Bishop Auckland, which she launched just months after the alleged misconduct. She regularly posts on social media about her 'weight loss journey' and gym progress, telling followers: 'We sometimes need a reminder of how far we've came and how far we've still yet to come.'
Ongoing Scrutiny of HMP Deerbolt
The latest allegations come as HMP Deerbolt, a training and resettlement prison housing around 490 male inmates, remains under scrutiny over deep-rooted problems. Inspectors last year warned of an 'entrenched drug culture', with more than a third of mandatory drug tests returning positive. The Criminal Justice Inspectorate also reported stubbornly high violence, including dozens of assaults on inmates and staff, and elevated rates of self-harm. The prison had previously been criticised for 'shabby' conditions, with prisoners given bin bags to wear instead of coats during exercise.
