A prison officer has been jailed for 12 months after having sex with an inmate at HMP Berwyn in Wrexham. Emily Watson, 26, pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office for engaging in an intimate sexual relationship with prisoner John McGee between October 2017 and January 2018.
Mold Crown Court heard that Watson had sex with McGee at least once in his cell. Suspicion arose due to the excessive time she spent talking to him on the wing. An investigation revealed McGee contacted Watson via Instagram using an iPhone 6 hidden inside a PlayStation, which he had opened with a screwdriver disguised as a pen. They also engaged in virtual sex via FaceTime, and Watson sent him naked photos and a sexual video.
Watson, from Huddersfield, was described in court as a naive 'thrill seeker'. Sentencing her, the judge stated: 'If prison officers are corrupt then the system falls apart.'
Data released to the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act shows that 567 prison staff were sacked for misconduct between mid-2013 and mid-2018. This includes 39 for inappropriate relationships with prisoners, of whom at least 16 were women and 14 were men. Other misconduct charges included breach of security and assaulting prisoners.
Detective Inspector Dawn Hampson of the north-west regional organised crime unit said: 'Working alongside HMPPS, we are absolutely committed to identifying and bringing to justice those involved in corruption within the prison service. We know the vast majority of prison officers are dedicated professionals, but today's sentence is another positive step in tackling prison corruption.'
