Emily Watson was among one of hundreds of prison officers sacked for misconduct, in her case after a sexual relationship with an inmate was discovered.
Watson was jailed for 12 months last Friday after she pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office for having sex with John McGee, who was serving an eight-year term for killing a charity worker in a hit-and-run crash.
Data released to the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act shows 567 prison staff were sacked for misconduct between mid-2013 and mid-2018, including 39 for inappropriate relationships with prisoners, of whom at least 16 were women and at least 14 were men. Other misconduct charges included breach of security and assaulting prisoners.
Watson, 26, who was described in court as a naive “thrill seeker”, had sex with McGee at least once in his cell at HMP Berwyn in Wrexham, Mold crown court heard. Suspicions were aroused because she spent so much time talking to McGee on the wing.
An investigation found he had been able to contact her on Instagram via an iPhone 6 hidden inside a PlayStation he had opened with a screwdriver disguised as a pen. They had virtual sex via FaceTime and Watson sent him naked photos and a video containing sexual content.
Watson, from Huddersfield, pleaded guilty to a charge of misconduct in public office by engaging in an intimate sexual relationship with a prisoner between October 2017 and the end of January 2018,
“If prison officers are corrupt then the system falls apart,” the judge told Watson during her sentencing.
DI Dawn Hampson, of the north-west regional organised crime unit, said: “Working alongside Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), we are absolutely committed to identifying and bringing to justice those who we suspect are involved in corruption within the prison service, including inappropriate relationships, bringing items into prisons and other misconduct matters.
“We know the vast majority of prison officers are dedicated professionals who carry out their duties with integrity. But today’s sentence is another positive step in tackling prison corruption in the north-west and we will continue our efforts to bring offenders to justice.”
