14-05-2025
Prison officer caught sneaking into cupboard with inmate is jailed
A British prison officer caught sneaking into a cupboard with an inmate she says she 'proper fell in love' with has been jailed.
Morgan Farr Varney, 24, swapped love letters with the prisoner while working at a secure male unit in Lindholme in northern England.
The pair were only busted when CCTV showed them 'loitering' at the Category C jail before vanishing together, The Sun reports.
Following her arrest, Farr Varney, who once appeared on popular British talk show 'This Morning' to talk about a dentistry 'nightmare', admitted she had 'f***ed her life up'.
She has now been jailed for ten months after pleading guilty to misconduct in public office.
Sheffield Crown Court heard Farr Varney joined the Prison Service in April 2022 and soon entered a training program involving anti-corruption.
She also received training on conditioning from inmates and how to spot it.
But suspicions were raised when CCTV showed Farr Varney heading into the cupboard with the inmate, who has not been named in reports.
Officers searched his cell and discovered a bundle of love letters she had written – as well as other notes in her own bedroom.
Farr Varney was arrested and interviewed by officers in January 2023, when she admitted she had 'proper fell in love with him'.
After she was released on bail she resigned from her role at the prison and the lag was moved to a different prison.
But lovestruck Farr Varney continued the relationship – with cops finding pictures of her in the prisoner's new cell.
Detective Constable Scott Jarvis, who is part of South Yorkshire Police's prison anti-corruption unit, said: 'We take any reports of improper relationships between prison staff and inmates incredibly seriously and conduct thorough investigations to ensure those who are guilty of these offences are brought to justice.
'These types of relationships are thankfully rare, but when they do happen, they threaten to undermine the reputation of the prison service and other hardworking prison officers who abide by the rules and regulations attached to the job.
'Staff at HMPPS Counter Corruption Unit supported us throughout our investigation and I want to thank them for their cooperation.
'I hope this sentencing sends out a clear message to any prison officers thinking of committing similar offences that if you engage in this type of criminality, you will be investigated by police and you will be brought to justice.'
