Latest news with #HMPDoncaster
Telegraph
6 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Female guard texted prisoner's mother 900 times
A female guard texted a prisoner's mother 900 times, a court has heard. Megann Gibson, 26, sexted the prisoner while working at Wealstun Prison, near Wetherby, West Yorkshire. The guard then sent the criminal's mother more than 900 messages, reportedly in a bid to stay in contact with him. She also allowed the unnamed inmate into restricted areas of the Category C resettlement prison and visited his home address, a court heard. Gibson, from Leeds, West Yorkshire, was this week warned she faces jail over the forbidden romance, while joining a growing list of shamed female prison guards convicted over behind-bars liaisons. The guard, who admitted misconduct in a public office and possession of cannabis, will be sentenced in August. Gibson, who lives with her sister and driving instructor mother in the suburb of Gipton, was warned by a judge at the city's crown court: 'You may well be serving a prison sentence.' The plea hearing was told Gibson was undergoing assessment for mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress linked to a previous relationship. She was released on unconditional bail, but warned that her offence was a 'serious matter'. At least 29 female prison guards have been dismissed in the past three years over improper relationships with prisoners. That compares to just nine women who lost their jobs for the same offence between 2017 and 2019. Katie Evans, 26, embarked on an illicit romance with inmate Daniel Brownley while working at HMP Doncaster, calling herself his 'queen'. The mother-of-one, who was jailed for 21 months in March, boasted about sex acts on the criminal and collecting drug money on his behalf. Her criminal behaviour was exposed during an anti-corruption investigation into another guard at the category B jail. Morgan Farr Varney, 24, was this month locked up for 10 months after she was caught in a cupboard with a prisoner while working at HMP Lindholme in South Yorkshire. She became besotted with crack cocaine dealer Jordan Stones, 30, who pinned racy snaps of his prison officer lover to his cell walls. Cherrie-Ann Saddington, 29, smuggled a Calpol syringe into jail to artificially inseminate herself with a prisoner's sperm. The officer became obsessed with convicted sex offender Bradley Trengrove after he was moved to HMP The Verne in Dorset. The female prison warden told Trengrove she was pregnant in November 2022, although she miscarried after eight weeks. She was spared jail by a judge in May after being left in a wheelchair from a spinal stroke. In January, Linda De Sousa Abreu, a 31-year-old former Wandsworth Prison officer, was jailed for 15 months after a film of her having sex with an inmate was shared online.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
Teenage Syrian bomb victim who fled to UK killed in knife attack
A Syrian teenager who fled to the UK after being injured in a bombing was stabbed to death in a town centre in broad daylight, a court has heard. Ahmad Mamdouh Al Ibrahim suffered a single stab wound to the neck in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, on Thursday afternoon. Alfie Franco, 20, is accused of murder and is due to go on trial in October. In a statement released on Tuesday, the family of the 16-year-old victim said: 'Ahmad fled war-torn Homs, Syria, after being injured in a bombing. He chose to come to the UK because he believed in the values of human rights, safety, and dignity. He was full of hope and dreamed of becoming a doctor – wanting to heal others after all he had endured. 'He had just begun settling into his new life with his uncle, adjusting to a new language, a new home, and a future he was excited to build. 'Ahmad was kind, gentle, and carried so much promise. Losing him has left an unimaginable emptiness in our hearts. We never thought that the place he saw as a safe haven would be where his life would end. 'Our only wish now is to lay him to rest in his homeland, Syria. Thank you for helping us honour his memory.' Ahmad was stabbed in Ramsden Street at about 3pm on April 3 and died in hospital. Franco, of Kirkburton, appeared at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday charged with murder and possessing a knife in a public place. He spoke only to confirm his name when he appeared via video link from HMP Doncaster for the 10-minute hearing. His right hand was in a blue plaster cast. Prosecutor Bashir Ahmed told the court that Franco had been in the area with his pregnant girlfriend after they had been to a job centre when he was involved in a 'verbal altercation' with the victim. Judge Robin Mairs refused Franco bail and set a trial date of Oct 2. The defendant will appear at the same court for a plea and pre-trial hearing on May 7. West Yorkshire Police previously stated that Ahmad had only recently moved to Huddersfield from South Wales. The force said the incident was 'not gang related or linked to any wider dispute between groups' and warned the public to be wary of false information circulating on social media. Police said a 22-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender have been released on bail. Officers from the Homicide And Major Inquiry Team are supporting the victim's family. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
08-04-2025
- Telegraph
Teenage Syrian bomb victim who fled to UK killed in knife attack
A Syrian teenager who fled to the UK after being injured in a bombing was stabbed to death in a town centre in broad daylight, a court has heard. Ahmad Mamdouh Al Ibrahim suffered a single stab wound to the neck in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, on Thursday afternoon. Alfie Franco, 20, is accused of murder and is due to go on trial in October. In a statement released on Tuesday, the family of the 16-year-old victim said: 'Ahmad fled war-torn Homs, Syria, after being injured in a bombing. He chose to come to the UK because he believed in the values of human rights, safety, and dignity. He was full of hope and dreamed of becoming a doctor – wanting to heal others after all he had endured. 'He had just begun settling into his new life with his uncle, adjusting to a new language, a new home, and a future he was excited to build. 'Ahmad was kind, gentle, and carried so much promise. Losing him has left an unimaginable emptiness in our hearts. We never thought that the place he saw as a safe haven would be where his life would end. 'Our only wish now is to lay him to rest in his homeland, Syria. Thank you for helping us honour his memory.' Ahmad was stabbed in Ramsden Street at about 3pm on April 3 and died in hospital. Franco, of Kirkburton, appeared at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday charged with murder and possessing a knife in a public place. He spoke only to confirm his name when he appeared via video link from HMP Doncaster for the 10-minute hearing. His right hand was in a blue plaster cast. Prosecutor Bashir Ahmed told the court that Franco had been in the area with his pregnant girlfriend after they had been to a job centre when he was involved in a 'verbal altercation' with the victim. Judge Robin Mairs refused Franco bail and set a trial date of Oct 2. The defendant will appear at the same court for a plea and pre-trial hearing on May 7. West Yorkshire Police previously stated that Ahmad had only recently moved to Huddersfield from South Wales. The force said the incident was 'not gang related or linked to any wider dispute between groups' and warned the public to be wary of false information circulating on social media. Police said a 22-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender have been released on bail.
BBC News
04-03-2025
- BBC News
Doncaster prison officer jailed for relationship with inmate
A former prison officer who had an "intimate" relationship with an inmate has been jailed for 21 Katie Evans, 26, was "corrupted" by robber Daniel Brownley not long after starting work at HMP Doncaster, Sheffield Crown Court heard on of Hatfield in Doncaster, had more than 140 phone calls with Brownley, moved money around accounts for him and boasted of performing a sex act, the court Jeremy Richardson KC said there was "no excuse" for her offending despite her being "manipulated by an experienced criminal". Evans had admitted the "intimate" relationship but it was not clear whether she accepted it was a sexual Matthew Burdon earlier told the court Evans had boasted to an ex-prison officer that she had performed a sex act on the judge heard the defendant referred to herself as "your queen" when talking to Brownley. 'Young and immature' Judge Richardson told Evans: "It appears you indulged in some form of sexual activity in the prison."It is truly a terrible situation for a judge to be passing sentence on a former prison officer who has been branded a corrupt prison officer."He added: "I'm entirely satisfied you were manipulated by an experienced criminal to assist him."Your misconduct materially affected the good order and discipline of the prison."The judge said Evans was "young and immature" at the time of the offending in 2020 and that she was "regrettably susceptible to manipulation"."You were inexperienced and immature but that is, however, no excuse for what you did," he told said he accepted she was genuinely remorseful and posed no danger to the public in the future. 'Merciful' sentence Judge Richardson said the sentence of 21 months should have been longer but, "purely as an act of mercy", he reduced it to take into account the effect it would have on Evans' relationship with her young daughter and the difficulties she would experience in prison as a former admitted misconduct in a public office at a previous cried and waved at family members in the public gallery as she was led from the court heard that Brownley had been jailed for five-and-a-half years in 2016 for attempted robbery, burglary and handling stolen had been released but was back in prison in 2020 after he was recalled for breaching his licence conditions. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
BBC News
28-02-2025
- BBC News
Doncaster prison officer faces jail over inmate relationship
A prison officer has been told she faces jail after admitting an "intimate" relationship with an Evans communicated with the man more than 140 times using a SIM card which was smuggled into HMP Doncaster, and boasted of performing a sex act, Sheffield Crown Court 26, of Hatfield, Doncaster, admitted misconduct in a public office at a previous hearing and will be sentenced on Jeremy Richardson KC said she "must go to prison immediately" adding: "The only issue I have to decide is for how long." 'Absolutely ashamed' Prosecutor Matthew Burdon told the court on Friday that records showed Evans had 39 conversations with the man on just one day, with one call lasting 49 said Evans had boasted to an ex-prison officer that she had performed a sex act on Burdon said the defendant referred to herself as "your queen" when talking to the said the wording of the charge Evans had admitted to referred to "engaging in an inappropriate and intimate relationship with an inmate".Asked by Judge Richardson whether this meant a "sexual" relationship, he said: "I'm not sure whether 'sexual' is accepted by the defendant but certainly 'intimate' is accepted."Edward Moss, defending, told the judge that the offending happened when his client was aged 21, in said mother-of-one Evans was "immature and vulnerable" and had not been a prison officer for long when she was contacted by the Moss said: "This is a young lady who is absolutely ashamed of her behaviour."Evans was remanded into custody ahead of to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
