Three more prison staff have faced arrest or conviction over criminal offences. Their cases emerged as new Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures showed the scale of disciplinary action in prisons and probation.
Between April 2024 and March 2025, 1,286 prison and probation staff faced conduct and disciplinary action. Of these, 939 ended up disciplined. Sanctions ranged from verbal warnings to dismissal.
The offences behind the action ranged from minor infractions to serious breaches of the rules. Some of the most serious end in court.
Over the 12 months, 405 staff lost their jobs, 276 men and 129 women. The equivalent total for the previous 12 months was 287.
“Where staff fall below our exacting standards, we do not hesitate to take robust action,” a Prison Service spokesperson said.
In the first of the three recent cases, a 31-year-old woman received a suspended sentence after admitting misconduct in a public office. She had worked as a prison officer at HMP Lowdham Grange. In May 2023 she had a flirtatious relationship with a prisoner there, she admitted. She received a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
In the second, a former male prison officer at HMP Manchester received a sentence of seven-and-a-half years. His sentence also includes a six-year extended licence period. A judge described his suggestions as “sadistic”. He made them when he believed he was communicating online with children. Because nobody could trace the victims, his conviction was for attempted abuse rather than actual abuse.
In the third case, Guernsey Police confirmed just after Christmas the arrest of a 34-year-old male member of staff at Les Nicolles, the island’s prison. The arrest was on “suspicion of supplying a controlled substance”. Prison authorities said they had suspended him pending further investigation. He is on unconditional bail while the authorities pursue the matter.
HMP Lowdham Grange is a Category B men’s prison in the East Midlands. HMP Manchester is a high-security men’s prison in the North West.
