A prison worker has walked free from court after forming a relationship with a convicted drug dealer.
Megan Breen, 23, would travel to the Merseyside area to meet the prisoner while he was on home leave and even stayed in a hotel with him to celebrate her 20th birthday.
Cardiff Crown Court heard that Breen was working as an operational support grade worker at HMP Prescoed, a category D open prison, in Gwent.
She met the unnamed inmate while working night shifts and arranged to meet him while he was on home leave in the Merseyside area preparing for release.
He had been jailed in October 2020 for four years and four months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and in May 2021 was transferred to Breen’s prison.
The court heard Breen texted the inmate on a prison-issue mobile Nokia phone that he had been given while on home leave and day release, and also socialised with his family while on trips to Liverpool.
Breen was employed at the prison from June 2021 and during her induction training was warned of the dangers of forming inappropriate relationships with prisoners.
In March 2022 she confided in a colleague about the relationship who informed superiors and she was suspended.
Thomas Stanway, prosecuting, told the court: “His reaction was disbelief and she confirmed she had met the prisoner while he was on home release and they went back to her hotel together.
“She also disclosed she had met his family and they liked her, and she liked them.”
Breen told him she had met the prisoner in Merseyside as part of a overnight trip to celebrate her 20th birthday.
The prisoner met Breen and two of her colleagues from the prison, who did not recognise him, for drinks, before returning to her hotel room together.
Breen made further trips to Liverpool on April 1 to 4, April 8 to 11 and April 22 to 25 to see the prisoner, who had been released on licence on March 31.
“The defendant in her defence case statement admits shortly after his release from prison she entered into a short-lived relationship with him,” Mr Stanway said.
The prisoner’s cell was later searched and a piece of paper with Breen’s mobile phone number and Snapchat handle was recovered.
Searches of Breen’s mobile phone found messages and calls between her and the prisoner.
“The messages show a clear relationship between the defendant and the male prisoner,” Mr Stanway said.
“The defendant and the male prisoner said they loved each other and used other terms of affection and heart emojis.”
Scott Bowen, defending, said Breen was a single mother of a young son, acts as a carer for another child, and had recently discovered she is pregnant.
“This is a matter that will haunt her,” he said.
“She made it clear it was the most difficult morning of her life saying goodbye to her son, and knowing she may not see him for the forseeable.”
Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, the Recorder of Cardiff, said Breen showed “remorse” for her actions and said she did not pose a danger to the public.
She said Breen’s pregnancy and childcare responsibilities were significant factors in deciding to suspend her sentence.
“I am satisfied that your culpability was high and you knew what you were doing was wrong,” she said.
“You told a colleague about a recent birthday trip to Liverpool with two colleagues.
“You disclosed that while there, you had slept with a man who, you said, was a prisoner at Prescoed with whom you used to speak during night duties.
“When they sought clarification, you identified the prisoner by pointing to his photograph on the screen.
“They initially thought that it might be a joke, but you said that you had met the prisoner while he was on home leave, you went out for drinks, and ultimately returned together to your hotel.
“You revealed you had met the prisoner’s family.
“You put two of your colleagues in a very difficult position by introducing them to the prisoner, who they did not recognise, thereby putting them in the position where they were inadvertently breaching the prohibition on contact with a prisoner.
“It is clear that immediate custody would result in harm on others, namely your son, your unborn child and the child you care for.
“I am satisfied that your pregnancy, the needs of your son, your unborn child and the child you care for means this is an exceptional case and the sentence should be suspended.”
The judge imposed a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, ordered her to pay £500 in prosecution costs and carry out 15 days of rehabilitation.
A second charge of unauthorised computer access was ordered to lie on file.
