A prison officer has avoided a custodial sentence after admitting an 'inappropriate relationship' with an inmate at two prisons in Gwent, South Wales. Megan Breen, 23, pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office following a relationship with a convicted drug dealer between February and May 2022.
Breen, who worked at HMP Usk and HMP Prescoed, met the inmate after he was allowed out on temporary release. She travelled 175 miles to Liverpool to meet him, had sex at a hotel, and even met his family. The relationship was uncovered when a colleague, William Morgan, saw a photo of the prisoner on a computer screen and Breen admitted the affair.
Prosecutor Thomas Stanway told the court that Breen initially denied the relationship but later confessed to Mr Morgan, saying she had slept with the inmate during a birthday trip. A search of the prisoner's cell revealed a note with Breen's mobile number and Snapchat handle. Analysis of the inmate's phone showed 558 contacts between them, with messages expressing love and affection.
The relationship ended when Breen accessed the inmate's phone and discovered he had been Facetiming other women. Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke spared Breen prison due to 'exceptional circumstances', noting she has a young child and is pregnant with a second. She received a 10-month suspended sentence, 15 days of rehabilitation, and was ordered to pay £500 costs.
