Three female guards from the same prison have been sentenced behind bars for having illegal affairs with convicts. In less than four years, the three prison officers who worked at HMP Berwyn near Wrexham were jailed for engaging in sexual and romantic relationships with inmates.
The accused were found to have been sending pornographic images, having intercourse in cells and also sharing intimate phone calls, Liverpool Echo reports. Prison officers Emily Watson, Ayshea Gunn and Jennifer Gavan have now all been imprisoned for misconduct in public office.
Watson had a sexual relationship with drug dealer John McGee, who was given an eight year sentence for causing death by dangerous driving while trying to escape the police. The prison guard and McGee engaged in sexual intercourse in his cell multiple times, including on Christmas Day.
The pair kept in contact through a hidden iPhone 6 that the inmate kept stashed away inside a Play Station games console and Watson would send him nude images and videos of herself. Mold Crown Court heard that the 26-year-old prison officer, from Huddersfield, was 'naive' and believed she was in love with McGee.
Barrister Gerald Pachter stated that the defendant was fresh out of a long term relationship at the time of the crime and that in hindsight, she was disgusted by what she had done. He added that Watson was entirely aware of the effect her shameful behaviour had on the family of the man who was killed by McGee.
She was subsequently jailed for 12 months. Gunn, 27 was working as a probationary officer at the jail when she formed a relationship with Khuram Razaq who was serving time for an armed robbery.
The pair sent each other 'highly sexualised and pornographic' images along with other erotic videos and live streaming footage of themselves performing sexual acts. Gunn was also found to have snuck a pair of her underwear into the jail for Razaq which she concealed inside her bra.
When police searched her property, they discovered photos of the couple kissing and hugging, some of which had been taken in the prisoner's cell. She also purchased clothes for Razaq and put on bets for him.
The dishonourable officer also sent the inmate screenshots from WhatsApp chats with her colleagues which discussed issues including search tactics, Mold Crown Court heard. Peter Hunter, defending, said Gunn, from Wrexham, had committed the sexual acts during a tough period of her life when she was 'at the bottom in her world'.
She was ashamed of her actions and admitted 'someone showed her affection and stupidly she accepted it'. Gunn was handed a 12 months prison sentence.
Gavan was having an intimate relationship with robber Alex Coxon including kissing him, sending him pictures through WhatsApp and agreeing to sneak a mobile phone into the prison for him for £150. Defence barrister Maria Masselis told the court that the relationship had formed at a time when the 27-year-old was particularly vulnerable as she had just left a long term relationship.
Ms Masselis said Gavan suffered from 'self-esteem issues' and felt she had been 'manipulated' into believing she was in a relationship with Coxon. She added: "She felt ill-equipped to deal with a wing of 80 male prisoners, on occasions on her own for periods of time."
Gavan was jailed for eight months for her crime. Following the shocking scandals, a new training programme has been established for over 500 members of staff working at the jail.
The Prison Service confirmed staff at Berwyn were now undergoing anti-corruption prevention training. A spokesman said: "The overwhelming majority of Prison Service staff are hardworking and dedicated and we will not hesitate to punish those who break the rules.
'Anti-corruption prevention training' has since been launched for over 500 members of staff at the 2,100-capacity prison." Other precautions have also been brought in such as enhanced gate security to prevent guards from smuggling contraband into the prison.
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