A former prison officer was spared an immediate jail term over a sexual relationship she had with an inmate. Kathryn Trevor fell pregnant during the relationship with the prisoner at HMP Maidstone.
Their liaisons carried on from February 2020 to September 2021, with Trevor even using an alias to maintain contact with the prisoner while not on duty. She was also sharing information with his family abroad.
Trevor was aware the prisoner was in possession of an illegal mobile phone. And she used his number to contact him, rather than reporting it to prison security.
The 29-year-old, from Sham Farm Road in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, was charged with two counts of wilfully neglecting to perform her duty/wilful misconduct while holding public office. On April 29 she pleaded guilty to both counts at Maidstone Crown Court.
She appeared at the same court on Monday where she was given 20 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years. Detective Constable Nick Gossage, of the South East Regional Prison Intelligence Team (SERPIT) counter corruption team, said: “Trevor was employed to ensure the safety and good order of the prison she worked in.
“Her behaviour over an extended period of time undermined this, putting her colleagues and the prisoners at risk. Her conviction should serve as a reminder to those that hold a position of power and trust that it is not to be abused and that action will be taken against them if they act in this way.”
