Female officer charged over sex with prisoner at Coldingley

 A 23-year-old woman is standing trial accused of having sex with a prisoner at HMP Coldingley while working there as a prison officer.

Jurors at Southwark Crown Court heard that a liaison between the pair took place in the prison’s multi-faith room, which has no CCTV cameras within it, while two other prisoners kept watch outside.

The woman was allegedly seen on CCTV leaving the room four minutes after entering it with the prisoner, while appearing to “readjust her belt area”. Days later she received a message from the prisoner saying: “It was good sharing dat love today ur p*****s ammaazzzeeeingggggg”.

The woman is charged with two counts of misconduct in a public office, and one of carrying drugs into the prison on behalf of her lover. The incidents are said to have occurred in July 2022. 

When they came to light, the woman was suspended and the prisoner was transferred to HMP Swaleside – where she visited him. When officers at Swaleside searched the man’s cell they found love letters between the pair and explicit photographs of her. The woman officer’s mobile phone also contained evidence of another affair she had held with an inmate in Coldingley, and texts from further inmates there.

The prisoner involved in the multi-faith room incident has admitted to having drugs smuggled in. 

In a separate case, a 31-year-old woman appeared before Derby Magistrates’ Court in October accused of having an illicit relationship with a prisoner whilst working as a prison officer at HMP Dovegate.

The woman faces a charge of misconduct in a public office and is due to appear before Derby Crown Court on 6 November. The Daily Mail reported that since the alleged offence came to light, she had since left the prison service and launched a new career as a self-employed beauty therapist.