A 48-year-old prison tutor has admitted having an inappropriate relationship with an inmate at HMP Chelmsford, after a photograph of the prisoner was discovered in her bedroom.
Essex Police said letters were found exchanged between Melissa Murphy, formerly Melissa O’Brien, and the prisoner. Suspicion arose when a staff member found the pair alone in a locked classroom, with Murphy’s keys removed from her person—a breach of security protocols.
Murphy had worked at the prison for four years and first met the inmate in summer 2023. She claimed she received the first letter in November 2023 but did not report it; instead, she replied, and several letters suggested a relationship developed. After the locked-room incident, Murphy was arrested, and further letters along with the bedside photo were seized from her home.
Murphy, of Dorset Close in Chelmsford, was arrested on December 11, 2023, and subsequently dismissed from her role as a teacher helping inmates prepare for employment. She was charged via postal requisition on February 12, 2025, and pleaded guilty on November 28 at Chelmsford Crown Court to one count of misconduct in a public office.
Detective Constable Becky Sparrow said: “Murphy abused a position of trust by forming this inappropriate relationship. By definition, anyone held in prison is in a vulnerable position. It is crucial staff do not put those they are required to help in positions such as this – she potentially put both of them at risk of harm.”
Dc Sparrow added: “The integrity of everyone working within the criminal justice system is required to keep prisoners and the public safe. By entering into this relationship, Murphy compromised that integrity, exploited a vulnerable man and left herself open to exploitation too.”
