More than a thousand prison and probation officers in Britain have faced disciplinary proceedings so far this year, according to damning new statistics that expose widespread misconduct within the service.
A Culture of Corruption and Inappropriate Relationships
The figures, obtained through Freedom of Information requests, lay bare a system struggling with staff who stray far from their professional duties. The cases range from illicit relationships with inmates and smuggling contraband to befriending criminals online. While the majority of staff adhere to the rules, a significant minority have repeatedly made headlines for their shocking behaviour in some of the country's most challenging jails.
One of the most notorious recent cases involved prison officer Linda De Sousa Abreu, who was sentenced to 15 months in prison in June 2024. Her punishment came after an X-rated video of her having sex with inmate Linton Welrich inside HMP Wandsworth went viral on social media. Even while on bail, she shamelessly displayed her ankle monitor, describing it as ‘very demure’.
In a separate case at HMP Coldingley in Surrey, officer Isabelle Dale, 23, was discovered to have had sexual relationships with two separate inmates. Her infatuation led her to tattoo the nickname of one convict, Shahid Sharif, on the back of her neck. Dale was seen emerging from a prison worship area with Sharif, hastily adjusting her uniform after a four-minute encounter for which fellow inmates acted as lookouts.
Dismissals Double as Investigations Reveal Systemic Issues
The data from the Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) indicates a sharp rise in serious disciplinary outcomes. Dismissals nearly doubled from 287 to 405 between March 31, 2024, and April 1, 2025. Of these, 276 were men and 129 were women. Men were investigated at double the rate of women, a trend consistent across all age groups, and their cases were more likely to result in further action.
In total, 1,286 staff were subject to conduct and discipline action in the period, with 939 of those investigations concluding with a penalty for the employee. The report also found that investigation rates decline with the age of staff, with 4.4 per 100 staff under 30 facing probes, compared to just 2.4 per 100 for those aged 60 and over.
A ten-year review of gross misconduct cases places HMP Wandsworth at the top, with 52 staff facing disciplinary action between 2014 and 2024. HMP Wakefield followed with 47. For the 2023/2024 period alone, HMP Wayland and HMP Chelmsford recorded the highest numbers.
Cover-Ups and Evasion of Justice
The scandal deepens with evidence that some staff accused of criminal acts have been allowed to resign or transfer to avoid proper police investigation. A Daily Mail investigation revealed that management at HMP Feltham, Britain's most violent jail, failed to report officers to the police for alleged violence, evidence destruction, and inappropriate relationships with inmates.
A source claimed management ‘covered up’ serious misconduct to avoid bad publicity after the prison was placed in special measures. In one instance, two officers accused of beating a young offender and destroying the body-worn camera that captured the assault resigned days before their misconduct hearing, never facing police questioning.
In another alarming case, a female officer reported for inappropriate relationships was quietly transferred to HMP Wetherby—the same prison to which the inmates she was involved with were moved. She was later convicted of sexual relationships with those inmates.
Further corruption was exposed in June of this year, when footage showed prison officers turning a blind eye to drug use. In one video, an officer confronted an inmate about the smell of marijuana in his cell, only to advise him to open his window to make it less obvious rather than confiscating the drugs or reporting the incident.
Figures obtained by Channel 4 show 1,624 reported investigations of officers breaching security between January 2022 and March 2024—more than double the number from a decade ago. While 52 staff were recommended for dismissal for security breaches, a staggering 549 resigned in the same period after being investigated for the same issue.
These revelations paint a troubling picture of integrity and security failures within the UK's prison system, raising urgent questions about oversight, accountability, and the safeguarding of some of the nation's most secure institutions.
