Latest news with #HMPWandsworth
Metro
23-05-2025
- Metro
Prison officer accused of having sexual relationships with two inmates in court
A prison officer accused of having sexual relationships with two inmates has appeared in court. Isabelle Dale, 23, allegedly had a fling with convicted Shahid Sharif, 33, between September 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022. She is also accused of having a sexual relationship with Connor Money, 28, at the same time. Money was serving nine years for killing his best friend in a car crash while fleeing police at 147mph. Dale is also charged with conspiring to smuggle drugs into HMP Swaleside in Kent – the high security jail where Sharif was serving. She appeared at Southwark Crown Court in London today charged with two counts of misconduct in a public office in relation to the relationship with Sharif and Money. The first charge alleges she 'wilfully and without reasonable excuse or justification misconducted yourself in a way which amounted to an abuse of the public's trust in the office holder by having and inappropriate sexual relationship with a serving prisoner by the name of Shahid Sharif.' The second misconduct charge alleges she had a sexual relationship with Money between 1 September 2021 and 31 December 2022. Dale, of Portsmouth, is charged with conspiring together with Sharif, Lilea Sallis, 27 and others that are unknown to bring controlled drugs into Swaleside. She was bailed today ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing on June 6 at the same court. Judge Justin Cole set a trial date for October 21, 2025 to last between two and three weeks. Sharif and Sallis, 27, of Brighton, are charged with conspiring with Dale and others unknown to bring controlled drugs into a Category B prison Swaleside. Sallis was also bailed for a plea and trial preparation at the same court in two weeks time. More Trending Sharif, who was on a video-link from HMP Manchester is also charged with possessing a mobile phone in HMP Brixton and HMP Wandsworth between 1 September 2021 and 31 December 2022. Dale describes herself on the website ' as 'a seasoned Prison Officer with 2 years of experience, holds a degree in Criminology and Law from City of Portsmouth College, and is proficient in English and Maths.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: New VR shows users horrifying reality of what it's like to be stabbed to death MORE: Mystery skull found in man's garden is leaving Londoners baffled MORE: 'Gigs don't have to cost £400 – the next Taylor Swift could be down the road'
BBC News
16-05-2025
- BBC News
Wandsworth Prison: 'Renewed sense of purpose' after new governor
A south London prison which had a "catastrophic" inspection last year is now more stable and has a "renewed sense of purpose", according to the prisons' year, HMP Wandsworth was in "chaos" and inmates were in greater "despair" than the HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, had ever recent years, the category B prison had attracted a high profile after a prisoner escaped and a prison officer was found to have had sex with an an inspection from 31 March to 2 April found that although the prison still had "a long way to go", its improvement was down to a change in governor as well as major investment in staffing and training, including the safer custody and security teams. High profile escape The watchdog found new governor Andy Davy had "brought energy and focus" to tackling safety and decency at the prison, since taking over the role last summer. According to the LDRS, the report said the rate of positive drug tests was lower than at the previous inspection - although still too high - while rates of violence and self-harm had decreased, including the level of assaults roughly governor Katie Price resigned during the previous inspection, which laid bare severe overcrowding, rising violence and widespread use of illegal drugs, ahead of an urgent notification placing the prison in special measures. The watchdog did find ongoing failures in security at the prison, despite the high-profile escape of former soldier Daniel Khalife on the underside of a food delivery truck in September 2023. Khalife, 23, was jailed for 14 years and three months in February for spying for Iran and escaping from prison.A former prison officer was also jailed for 15 months in January after she was filmed having sex with an inmate in a cell. Linda De Sousa Abreu, 31, was identified by senior prison staff after the video went to the LDRS, the latest inspection found the level of experience and capability among staff was still low but the prison was calmer, as its capacity had been reduced by 150 spaces and was due to be cut by another 150 spaces.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Prison officer avoids jail after ‘fairytale relationship' with inmate
A senior prison officer who had a 'fairytale' relationship with an inmate has avoided jail. Tracy Boateng, 27, from Dagenham, admitted misconduct in a public office after engaging in an inappropriate relationship with Vincent Ojo, 34, at HMP Pentonville between Feb 25 and April 19 last year. On Monday, she was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 24 months. The court heard that body-worn camera footage captured the pair hugging and kissing, while messages on Boateng's phone revealed she had discussed the relationship with a colleague, who replied: 'This guy really believes you are his fairytale ending.' The couple were filmed taking a selfie together during which Boateng made a V sign and asked Ojo to 'say cheese', prosecutor Laura Kenyon said. Ojo, 34, is serving a sentence for possession of heroin with intent to supply and has been held on the same wing since 2020. Ojo reportedly accompanied Boateng to an office 'multiple times' where she had appeared to 'reveal details' of organisational information and permitted him to look at her computer screen, the prosecutor added. Her behaviour, which became known to other inmates, risked undermining prison discipline, the court was told. Boateng originally joined the Prison Service in 2020 through a graduate scheme immediately after she left university, and passed an exam on 'anti-corruption', the prosecutor said. She was therefore aware she could 'avoid corruption by being friendly but not friends' with inmates, Ms Kenyon added. During mitigation, Ioana Nedelcu, defending, said Boateng's daughter, of whom Ojo is not the father, was three months old and still breastfeeding. Boateng was 'remorseful' and now a single mother after her relationship with her daughter's father broke down after he found out about her interactions with Ojo, the barrister added. 'She understands her actions were wrong and that she makes no excuses for it,' Ms Nedelcu added. Sentencing, Judge Caroline English said Boateng had avoided prison because of the impact it could have on her three-month-old baby. Addressing the defendant, Judge English said: 'This offence is so serious that nothing other than a custodial sentence can be justified. 'There is however, an exceptional feature in this case, that is your child. 'One thing is for certain, your child is a total innocent and the impact on such a young baby would be significant.' She added that 'for that reason and that reason alone', she was 'persuaded to suspend the sentence'. Earlier this year, former HMP Wandsworth prison officer Linda De Sousa Abreu, 30, was jailed for 15 months after having sex with an inmate in a cell. Footage of the act was widely shared on social media. 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.
The Sun
24-04-2025
- The Sun
Moment female prison officer ‘TWERKS' for leering inmate she flirts with through bars of cell in shocking footage
THIS is the shocking moment a female prison guard was caught twerking for a leering inmate. Phone footage shows the officer spinning round and performing a short dance for the lag on a landing at a privately-run jail. 7 7 7 7 The woman, who no longer works at the prison, was filmed on a smuggled mobile at HMP Forest Bank in Salford, Greater Manchester. The guard responded to the con after he says: "Show me that me that batty rapid." In the short video, the screw replies: "I ain't got no batty." She is seen sticking her middle finger up at him as she smiles - before turning round and twerking for the inmate. The prisoner, described as a 'Manchester drill rapper', then says: "Turn around now, yes, yes." The Ministry of Justice said the incident took place in 2022 at a Sodexo-run prison, which holds men aged 18 to 21, but has recently been circulated online. A source said: "This is scandalous behaviour, and the stupidity is off the scale. "The officer should not have been behaving like this and deserved to be sacked just for being so stupid. "She is likely to have known she was being filmed, and behaving inappropriately, yet here she is obeying this young guy's demands. "There is a real problem with some female officers forming inappropriate relationships with inmates up and down the country. "And this sort of behaviour gives hard-working and responsible staff a bad name." A HMP Forest Bank spokesperson said: "The use of mobile phones in any prison is illegal, and we constantly review our activity to prevent the issue of the conveyance of illicit items within the prison. "Where individuals are identified and found in possession of mobile phones, action is taken and reported to the relevant authorities. "In addition, we take a zero -tolerance approach to inappropriate behaviour that undermines the complex work of prison officers to maintain public security. "Anyone seeking to undermine public trust while holding a position of authority, will be robustly dealt with." The video comes after a string of scandals involving female officers and male lags in Britain's jails. Choni Kelly was still wearing her police uniform at the same prison in Salford when she was captured locked in a passionate clinch with Josh Whelan. While Linda de Sousa Abreu is serving time over a romp with inmate Linton Weirich at HMP Wandsworth, which was revealed by The Sun. And Katerina Tatus was suspended over claims of an inappropriate relationship with a con at HMP Feltham. A report into Forest bank by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons last December found the jail was plagued with drug problems. It also said the Category B prison had "borne the brunt" of a "prison population crisis" in the north-west. It added: "Drugs continued to be the biggest challenge facing the prison, and although there had been some good work to restrict the supply, too many illicit items were getting into the jail. "Forest Bank had some of the highest levels of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults of any jail in the country, although those on staff were relatively low. "Relationships between staff and prisoners were often very good, but we were disappointed to come across examples of officers being abusive to prisoners or failing to deal with reasonable requests. "There was too much low-level rule-breaking going unchallenged while there were not enough incentives on offer to prisoners who behaved well. "Greater visibility of leaders would help to build the capability of what is a more stable, but inexperienced staff group." 7 7 7
Metro
24-04-2025
- Metro
Prison guard 'twerks' for drill rapper filming her behind bars
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A prison officer was fired from her position after she was filmed dancing for a Manchester drill rapper in prison. The unnamed officer worked at the Category B HMP Forest Bank and began twerking when told to show her 'batty' by the prisoner, in recently released footage seen by the Mail. The woman smiled and stuck up her middle finger while laughing at the men in the 2022 incident. The prisoner, who had a phone, filmed the encounter and said: 'Show me that batty rapid! Show me that batty rapid,' before cheering when the officer shook her behind. In a statement, a prison spokesperson condemned the video, adding: 'The use of mobile phones in any prison is illegal, and we constantly review our activity to prevent the issue of the conveyance of illicit items within the prison. 'Where individuals are identified and found in possession of mobile phones, action is taken and reported to the relevant authorities. In addition, we take a zero-tolerance approach to inappropriate behaviour that undermines the complex work of prison officers to maintain public security. 'Anyone seeking to undermine public trust while holding a position of authority will be robustly dealt with.' Last month, a mother-of-one broke down in tears as she was jailed for performing sex acts on an inmate. Katie Evans, 26, waved to her family as she was taken down at Sheffield Crown Court after admitting to being in a sexual relationship with burglar Daniel Brownley at Doncaster Prison. Evans, who worked there from the age of 21, shared 140 phone calls with Brownley, moved money around in bank accounts for him and told him information the prison had on him. She boasted to a former prison officer that she had performed oral sex on him and referred to herself as his 'queen'. Judge Jeremy Richardson told Evans: 'It appears you indulged in some form of sexual activity in the prison. It has been described that on one occasion, you had oral sex with him. '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.' Judge Richardson told Evans he corrupted you and not the reverse, adding: 'I'm entirely satisfied you were manipulated by an experienced criminal to assist him.' The judge said Evans was 'young and immature' when the offending happened in 2020, and said she was susceptible to the manipulation from Brownley. More Trending And last year, a prison guard who was filmed having sex with an inmate inside HMP Wandsworth pleaded guilty to misconduct. Linda De Sousa Abreu, 30, was jailed for 15 months following her 'shocking breach of the public's trust'. The footage showed De Sousa Abreu, who is married, having sex with inmate Linton Weirich, 36, in June as her radio crackles with messages in the background. His cellmate records the encounter on his phone, saying: 'This is how we roll in Wandsworth.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Cop caught on CCTV kissing prisoner while in her police uniform MORE: Dad of Southport victim running London marathon says he'd run '50 miles for my girl' MORE: Murderer escapes prison sparking 'do not approach' warning
