Latest news with #HMPSwaleside
New York Post
30-04-2025
- New York Post
Prison guard accused of having sex with two inmates
A female prison officer in the UK has been accused of having sexual relationships with two inmates at the same time and plotting with them to smuggle drugs into the jail. Isabelle Dale, 23, was employed at the high-security HMP Swaleside, on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, west of London. Advertisement It was during her work at the prison that she allegedly conducted affairs with Shahid Sharif, 33, and Connor Money, 28. The relationships are believed to have taken place between September 2021 and December 2022, Daily Mail reported. Dale allegedly first started up a sexual relationship with Money, before also allegedly conducting an affair with Sharif. It is not clear why Sharif is currently in prison. Advertisement 3 Isabelle Dale is accused of having sexual relationship with two inmates at the same time. Meanwhile, Money was jailed for nine years after killing his best friend in a car crash, The Sun reported. He fled police, who asked Money to pull over in his BMW 5 series before crashing into the back of a truck. His friend, Jordan Amos, 23, died in the passenger seat of the car. Advertisement Meanwhile, Money ran into nearby woods to avoid being arrested, The Telegraph reported. The young man wept in court as he was jailed. 3 Connor Money was serving a nine year sentence. Kent Police At the time, the lead officer on the case said it was the 'worst driving' he had encountered in 25 years of policing. Advertisement Dale appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday, charged with two counts of misconduct in public office. She is also charged with conspiring to bring drugs into the high security prison with Shariff and Lilea Sallis, 27. Sallis also appeared in court over the allegation of conspiring to bring in controlled drugs into the prison. 3 Dale allegedly started an affair with Shahid Sharif after the other inmate. Dorset police Shariff has also been charged with having a phone while in prison. Money is not facing any charges over his alleged sexual relationship with Ms Dale. Ms Dale was granted bail and is set to appear at Inner London Crown Court on May 23. All parties involved were told they cannot communicate with each other as their separate trials continue. Advertisement None of the accused entered a plea during their initial appearances. District Judge Adrian Turner said: 'These matters must go to the Crown Court. 'If the case goes to trial, you have got to attend trial.'
News.com.au
30-04-2025
- News.com.au
Prison guard accused of having sex with two inmates
A female prison officer in the UK has been accused of having sexual relationships with two inmates at the same time and plotting with them to smuggle drugs into the jail. Isabelle Dale, 23, was employed at the high-security HMP Swaleside, on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, west of London. It was during her work at the prison that she allegedly conducted affairs with Shahid Sharif, 33, and Connor Money, 28. The relationships are believed to have taken place between September 2021 and December 2022, Daily Mail reported. Ms Dale allegedly first started up a sexual relationship with Money, before also allegedly conducting an affair with Sharif. It is not clear why Sharif is currently in prison. Meanwhile, Money was jailed for nine years for killing his best friend in a 236km/h car crash, The Sun reported. He fled police, who asked Money to pull over in his BMW 5 series before crashing into the back of a truck. His friend, Jordan Amos, 23, died in the passenger seat of the car. Meanwhile, Money ran into nearby woods to avoid being arrested, The Telegraph reported. The young man wept in court as he was jailed. At the time, the lead officer on the case said it was the 'worst driving' he had encountered in 25 years of policing. Ms Dale appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday, charged with two counts of misconduct in public office. She is also charged with conspiring to bring drugs into the high security prison with Shariff and Lilea Sallis, 27. Ms Sallis also appeared in court over the allegation of conspiring to bring in controlled drugs into the prison. Shariff has also been charged with having a phone while in prison. Money is not facing any charges over his alleged sexual relationship with Ms Dale. Ms Dale was granted bail and is set to appear at Inner London Crown Court on May 23. All parties involved were told they cannot communicate with each other as their separate trials continue. None of the accused entered a plea during their initial appearances. District Judge Adrian Turner said: 'These matters must go to the Crown Court. 'If the case goes to trial, you have got to attend trial.'
The Guardian
27-04-2025
- The Guardian
Black ex-prison officer says he has flashbacks after extreme racist abuse at Kent jail
A black former prison officer has said he suffers flashbacks and nightmares after colleagues in a high-security jail subjected him to extreme racist abuse and managers failed to support him. Nigerian-born Uzo Mbonu said he felt he was picked on and ostracised by other officers at HMP Swaleside in Kent because he did not have a British accent, did not understand the jokes his colleagues made, and challenged things he felt were going wrong. An employment tribunal found that insults colleagues used against Mbonu included extreme racial slurs and racial stereotyping. The tribunal ruled that Mbonu, 53, was the victim of direct race discrimination, harassment related to race, and constructive unfair dismissal. Mbonu, who spent five years at the prison on the Isle of Sheppey, told the Guardian he joined because he wanted to make society a better place. 'I was extremely passionate about rehabilitating offenders,' he said. 'I believed in the dignity and potential of people, even in the most difficult and dehumanising environments.' But he said he was targeted by fellow officers. 'I went through hell and high water. The working environment was extremely hostile and degrading. I was stressed, anxious, depressed, burnt-out and lost my self-esteem. I suffered sleep disturbances, weakened immune system. I was completely isolated and I couldn't trust anyone. 'I was treated with disdain. My voice was suppressed. My worth was invalidated. I felt I didn't belong, just because I was black, didn't have the British accent, had a different mannerism, didn't understand British jokes, refused to join their shenanigans. I was often isolated, gaslighted and made to question my own perceptions.' The tribunal said the insults violated his dignity and created an 'intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment'. It flagged up that though Mbonu complained about an offensive comment made by a colleague, no evidence of it being responded to was produced during the tribunal. In its ruling, it said: 'This we consider goes a considerable way to support the claimant's [Mbonu's] overarching allegations of being ignored and treated badly … There appears to be an unusual tolerance for such offensive and obviously racist remarks.' The tribunal said a different colleague made a separate comment about him being 'money-grabbing' and on the same day wrote a false account of an incident involving Mbonu and a prisoner. A third officer also made a false claim about a meeting he said he had with Mbonu concerning a bonus scheme. The tribunal said it was 'troubling' that this man went on to join the UK Border Force. The tribunal, which sat in south London, said it was not difficult to see how Mbonu felt there was a 'witch-hunt' against him. It said: 'We find it entirely understandable why Mr Mbonu would become increasingly distressed and paranoid.' Mbonu was overall a 'credible and honest witness', the tribunal said, adding: 'We found him to be someone who was deeply affected by his time at Swaleside.' Mbonu said he was falsely accused over his work with two prisoners and resigned in 2023. He said: 'I'm still going through the trauma inflicted on me. I haven't recovered and I don't think that I will. I still have sad flashbacks and nightmares. I feel a whirlwind of emotions like anger, grief, betrayal, self-doubt, exhaustion, loneliness, PTSD.' The Prison Service says all allegations of unacceptable behaviour are taken seriously, investigated and, where appropriate, disciplinary action is taken. It has a tackling unacceptable behaviour unit that it says aims to improve the working environment by providing additional support, insight and expertise to staff raising concerns. A Prison Service spokesperson said: 'We will carefully consider this judgment. All reported incidents of discrimination are taken extremely seriously and investigated robustly.' A remedy hearing is due to take place for the tribunal to rule on compensation.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Yahoo
Inmate who tried to kill prison staff sentenced
An "extremely dangerous" inmate who carried out a string of attacks on prison officers with self-made plastic weapons has been sentenced. Aklakar Rahman, 38, repeatedly attacked staff at HMS Swaleside in Kent and high-security Belmarsh jail, south-east London, in September and October 2022, the Old Bailey heard. The court heard Rahman, who has schizophrenia, said he had been directed by voices to carry out the attacks. On Friday, Mrs Justice McGowan handed him a hospital order without limit of time, telling Rahman that psychiatrists say "you are mentally unwell and need to be treated". The court heard on 23 September 2022, Rahman was detained in the high-security segregation unit at HMP Swaleside over concerns he was trying to "radicalise other inmates to extreme versions of Islam". While he was escorted to a shower, he punched one officer and stabbed another in the forehead with a pen. He then punched a third officer in the stomach and stamped on the foot of a fourth after they went to assist their colleagues. During an attempt to retrieve a self-made weapon, Rahman tried to stab an officer in the neck, jurors had heard. After he was moved to Belmarsh prison, he attempted to kill three prison officers on 23 October 2022. He stabbed one of them in the head and neck, and cut two more officers' necks while they were trying to restrain him, the court heard. When ordered to open his hand, Rahman was seen holding the bottom of a plastic spoon that had been sharpened, the court heard. In January, a jury found him guilty of four counts of attempted murder. Rahman also admitted a charge of attempted wounding, six attempted assaults on emergency workers and three charges of possessing sharpened pieces of plastic in prison. The judge said: "Rahman is an extremely dangerous offender who has demonstrated a willingness to use unlawful drugs, notwithstanding his clear knowledge that such abuse makes him likely to assault prison officers in particular and other persons." The court heard his attacks were "planned" and he found a piece of plastic, which he spent "considerable time" sharpening into a weapon to "inflict serious injury". At the time of the offences in 2022, Rahman was serving a life sentence for three earlier attempted murders and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, jurors heard. In the summer of 2017, he attacked one inmate and two officers at HMP Wayland in Norfolk, HMP Lincoln and HMP Wakefield, using improvised weapons to stab at his victims' heads and necks. Rahman had originally been jailed two years previously, in November 2015, and ordered to serve six years and four months for drug offences. He had pleaded guilty at Ipswich Crown Court to two charges of possessing class A drugs heroin and cocaine with intent to supply and one charge of being concerned in the supply of heroin. His condition is currently stable and he is taking his medication. Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. HM Courts & Tribunals Service
The Independent
25-03-2025
- General
- The Independent
Anne presents awards to criminal justice workers
The Princess Royal was joined by the King when she hosted the annual Butler Trust Awards ceremony recognising criminal justice workers. Anne presented the awards during the event held at St James's Palace in central London in her role as the trust's patron. The awards recognise and celebrate outstanding people working in prisons, probation and youth justice across the UK. Among the recipients were Jonathan Firth, a prison officer at HMP Swaleside, a men's high security prison on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, who was awarded the Princess Royal's Prize for Outstanding Achievement. It recognised his exceptional work as an officer, during a career lasting more than 30 years, and his 'unparalleled skill and compassion' in working with some of the most challenging individuals. Charles chatted to the winners at a reception after his sister had made the presentations. The Butler Trust Awards were launched in 1985, in memory of former home secretary, Richard Austen Butler. Anne has been its patron since the creation of the honours and has hosted the prizegiving ceremony every year since. The trust works to promote excellence in UK prisons, probation, and youth justice by recognising and celebrating outstanding practice, and supporting the development of good practice through awards, training, and resource.
