A former prison officer at HMP Deerbolt has received a suspended sentence after a love letter exposed her illicit relationship with a prisoner.
In the letter, the 46-year-old mother of four called the man “the butter on my toast” and “the milk in my tea”. She ended it with “Happy Valentine’s Day”.
A police dog handler found the letter while searching her BMW in the prison car park in October 2024. The search formed part of an investigation into the smuggling of items into the prison. It found no evidence that she had played any part in moving contraband.
She appeared at Durham Crown Court on 9 October. She had already admitted one count of misconduct in a public office, covering the period from August to October 2024.
Prosecuting, Neil Jones said the search also uncovered an iPhone in a handbag in the car. The woman refused to say who she had spoken to on it.
Mr Jones told the court that the relationship appeared to be consensual. However, he said it still breached trust and risked undermining public confidence in prison staff.
Mairi Clancy, for the defence, said her client had been going through the end of her marriage and had health problems. She said this had left the woman “lonely, isolated and depressed” and under “significant emotional strain”.
The court gave her an 11-month prison sentence, suspended, and a six-month home curfew from 8pm to 6am. She must also complete a period of probation supervision.
She had no previous convictions and had worked as a prison officer for only six months. She had left the Prison Service before the hearing.
HMP & YOI Deerbolt is a category C prison for men in the North East. At a full inspection in March 2025, inspectors rated purposeful activity as poor. They judged safety and respect not sufficiently good, and preparation for release reasonably good.
