Prison Officer Jailed for Misconduct After Aiding Murderer Lover
A young female prison officer described as 'immature' has been sentenced to eight months in jail after revealing the location of a rival prisoner to her inmate lover, who intended to harm him. Ellis Eyles, aged 21 at the time, was working at HMP Deerbolt in County Durham when she assisted convict Mitchell Ingham by disclosing sensitive information about another inmate's whereabouts.
Romantic Relationship Uncovered During Cell Search
The illicit romance between Eyles and Ingham came to light following a routine cell search at the young offenders unit. Officers discovered an illegal iPhone and charger concealed behind a false panel in a cabinet, leading to an investigation into their communications. Antonia Adie, prosecuting, detailed that phone analysis exposed contact between the pair in June and July 2023, where they exchanged phone numbers, addresses, and personal messages.
Ingham, serving a minimum term of 14 years for the 2015 murder of 21-year-old Dominic Doyle in a pub in Denton, Greater Manchester, had asked Eyles about the location of another prisoner, stating he 'will get him done in.' Eyles complied, informing him that the target was in a segregation unit. Their messages included affectionate terms, with Ingham calling her 'babe' and Eyles responding with 'I miss you xxx.' One of their Facetime calls lasted 37 minutes, further evidence of their close relationship.
Acting as a Go-Between and Aftermath
Beyond disclosing prisoner locations, Eyles began acting as an intermediary for Ingham and his family, passing on messages. This included communications with his mother, Diane Ingham, who was also jailed for attempting to conceal his crime. After the phone was found, Ingham was transferred from Deerbolt to HMP Lindholme in Doncaster. Ms Adie noted that on July 22, 2023, Eyles received a message from Ingham's father requesting she obtain a new phone number for him, highlighting her continued involvement.
Judge Richard Bennett sentenced Eyles to eight months after she admitted a single count of misconduct in a public office at a previous hearing. He emphasized that the offence was too serious for a suspended sentence, stating, 'It is clear you were in some form of romantic relationship. There is no evidence that it went beyond the exchange of words, however whatever type of relationship it was such relationships undermine the dedicated work of your colleagues.'
Mitigation and Training Concerns
In mitigation, Robert Mochrie argued that Eyles, then 21, had been 'manipulated' by Ingham and was unprepared for her role at Deerbolt. He described her as a 'young person of hitherto good character' who fell into 'serious error by virtue of manipulation by the criminal mind.' Mochrie questioned the adequacy of her counter-corruption training, which consisted of a single morning session, suggesting it was insufficient for someone he labeled 'young and immature.'
Since leaving the Prison Service, Eyles, now 24, has been employed by a bank and demonstrated an 'incredible work ethic,' including helping a romantic scam victim avoid further financial losses. Meanwhile, Ingham, now 25, received an additional nine-month sentence for possessing and using a phone in jail, to run concurrently after his life term ends.
Judge Bennett concluded that Eyles' actions 'showed a failure of integrity and failure to uphold the rules equitably, which undermines the public's confidence in the prison system.' This case highlights the risks of improper relationships within correctional facilities and the severe consequences for those who breach their duties.
