Criminals utilize illicit partnerships to bring contraband into prisons, prompting ministers to pledge a crackdown in response to a jump in the number of affairs between prison officials and inmates.
Since 2017, the number of employees exposed to inappropriate interactions has increased by 30% to more than 40 every year, according to information published under Freedom of Information rules.
Better external security, including as x-rays, sniffer dogs, and baggage checks, has increased the likelihood that criminals may attempt to bribe personnel to bring in contraband such as mobile phones, which can be valued up to £1,000 in prison.
According to sources, criminals attempt to find and exploit officers’ weaknesses, such as debt and inexperience.
Ayshea Gunn was photographed kissing convict Khuram Razaq at HMP Berwyn in the vicinity of Wrexham. She was later imprisoned.
One source told the Telegraph, “It typically begins with the blurring of boundaries, small requests such as being out of the cell a bit longer or requesting an additional breakfast pack.”
A new anti-corruption unit comprised of 20 police officers from regional organized crime sections seeks to apprehend inmates and the personnel they have recruited to smuggle in contraband and, on occasion, assist in the operation of their criminal empires.
Staff members are also trained to recognize techniques prisoners try to entice them into relationships that make them susceptible to blackmail.
The newly reinforced Counter-Corruption Team, according to the Justice Secretary Dominic Raab, will continue to “root out” dishonest officers.
The team now has 140 employees and has conducted “hundreds” of investigations of questionable employees and inmates.
Megan Woodham, a prison health worker, was sentenced to six years in prison for smuggling ketamine into HMP Risley for drug lord Daniel Doran.
The 25-year-old prison nurse Elyse Hibbs had a relationship with the 25-year-old’manipulative’ convict Harri Pullen.
Today, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab (pictured) said that the “reinforced Counter-Corruption Team” would continue to “root out” dishonest cops.
The jury was also informed that the corrupt jail employee used her Wigan residence as a “safehouse” for a bigger, multimillion-pound cocaine network.
In a second prominent instance at HMP Berwyn near Wrexham, three prison guards were imprisoned for having extramarital affairs with inmates over a four-year period, with several found engaging in sex in cells.
As part of a diversity initiative, the number of female prison employees has increased by 27% to 15,000 since 2017; women now account for 42% of the total.
Since the establishment of the specialized investigation unit, the number of prison officers convicted of corruption has increased by a factor of six, it was revealed last year.
In the 14 months leading up to January 2022, there were 65 staff convictions out of 143 cases, and 42 were incarcerated.
There were only ten successful prosecutions out of 123 cases in the year following the unit’s formation with 29 members of staff in April 2019.
Offenses include supplying convicts with Class A narcotics and smuggling in prohibited items.
John Podmore, the former warden of HMP Belmarsh, stated, “This is just the tip of the iceberg.” Important is the number of investigators. The larger your net, the more fish you will catch.
A spokesperson for the Prison Service stated, “The vast majority of Prison Service employees are diligent and committed, and we will not hesitate to punish those who break the rules.”
Sex in prison, sexy photographs, and messages addressed to “your future wife”
Jennifer Gavan, Ayshea Gunn, and Emily Watson were all imprisoned within the past three years for initiating relationships with Category C adult male criminals at the £250 million super jail HMP Berwyn in Wrexham, North Wales.
In order to combat such concerns at the 2,100-capacity prison, which opened in 2017, all staff members have been required to undertake new training.
Last year’s most recent prisoner was Gavan, who was sentenced to eight months in prison. Between April and July of 2020, she sent prisoner Alex Coxon, 25, personal Snapchat photographs and kissed him during their connection. She also sneaked a cell phone for Coxon behind jail.
Jennifer Gavan (on the left, with her partner, who has sworn to support her) and Ayshea Gunn
In December, former prison guard Emily Watson is featured here.
Rachel Martin, age 25, became romantically involved with convicted thief Raymond Abraham when he was incarcerated at HMP Guys Marsh, where she worked.
Martin exchanged “thousands” of audio, video, and text conversations with the prisoner, despite knowing that convicts are not permitted to own mobile phones.
A court heard that she even advised him to dump his phone down the toilet if his cell phone was examined.
During their five-month romance, Martin, from Salisbury, Wiltshire, also sent the convict a package comprising “high-value designer clothing and footwear” and female underwear.
Rachel Martin, age 25, dated convicted thief Raymond Abraham while he was serving his term at HMP Guys Marsh, where she worked.
Emma Webster, age 34, was sentenced to fourteen months in prison for mailing two inmates photographs of herself in her underwear along with letters written “Your future wife.”
The mother of two also engaged in phone sex with incarcerated drug dealer Bradley Brammall during 17 illegal calls with the A-Wing inmate using a contraband phone.
Webster swapped night shifts with coworkers and began flirting with C-Wing inmate Jimmy Bennett, who is incarcerated for a knife attack on an 18-year-old male, eight days after being abandoned by Brammall.
During a series of 75 prohibited phone calls to Bennett, the operational grade prison officer at Lincoln Jail was requested to pull down her pants and looked to be engaging in self-gratification while heavily exhaling.
Webster, of Ermine East, Lincoln, has guilty to misconduct in public office between August 18, 2021 and November 14, 2021.
34-year-old Emma Webster was sentenced to 14 months in prison for mailing two inmates photos of herself in her underwear and notes written “Your future wife.”
Heather McKenzie supplied drugs to inmates while employed at HMP Shotts, which housed some of the country’s most violent criminals.
After seeing a large increase in the amount of narcotics found in the prison and obtaining a tip regarding probable staff misconduct, prison officials and the police launched an investigation.
According to intelligence, McKenzie, 31, was carrying illegal narcotics and mobile phones into the prison.
Heather McKenzie (left) collaborated with the convicted killer Zak Malavin.
In May 2020, officials searching Malavin’s cell discovered an iPhone, 1.45 grams of cocaine, and a sleeping pill. Malavin was serving life for murdering a man in a park by attacking him with a sword.
The following month, a search unearthed two knotted bags containing an additional 5.8 grams of cocaine, and iPhone data revealed texts and calls to McKenzie.
Later, police executed a search warrant at McKenzie’s residence in Forth, Lanarkshire, and arrested her after discovering £2,500 in cash, mobile phones, syringes, trenbolone (a potent steroid), traces of cocaine, and 28g of another substance, benzocaine.
The cops discovered a missed WhatsApp call from a “Zak” contact on an iPhone. Malavin and McKenzie exchanged a string of WhatsApp chats, as revealed by additional investigation. Evidence revealed that criminal contacts visited McKenzie’s residence to provide her contraband, cell phones, and cash, which she subsequently smuggled into prison and hid near Malavin’s cell.
McKenzie, a mother of two, stood before the High Court in Lanark and admitted to giving drugs to Malavin and others at HMP Shotts between March and October of 2020. She also admitted providing Malavin with an unauthorized cell phone and SIM card. She will be sentenced the following month.
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