Prison officer given suspended term for inmate affair

A prison worker who told an inmate she loved him and had sex with him while he was out on licence has been given a 10-month suspended sentence.

Megan Breen, 23, an operational support staff member with direct contact with prisoners, began an inappropriate relationship with an inmate between February and May 2022 at HMP Prescoed in Usk, Monmouthshire.

The court heard how she had met the inmate for drinks in Liverpool during a trip for her 20th birthday with two other prison colleagues.

At Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, Breen, who is now pregnant, was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 15 days of rehabilitation and pay £500 in costs.

The court heard Breen had received a week's induction, including training on the codes of conduct which clearly prohibited relationships with prisoners.

Concerns were raised by a colleague after Breen accessed the prison database to find a photo of the inmate and then admitted she had slept with him during a trip to Liverpool.

The court heard how the prisoner, jailed for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, had met Breen while on home leave in the Merseyside-Cheshire area where they went for drinks before going back to her hotel room.

The pair exchanged hundreds of messages, and Breen also met his parents before her colleague reported the relationship to prison security, the court was told.

Messages found on the inmate's prison-issued Nokia phone, including heart emojis and expressions of love, confirmed a romantic relationship.

Police seized the phone, and a note with Breen's contact details was also found in the inmate's cell.

Breen admitted to the "short-lived relationship", saying some staff and prisoners were aware.

A police investigation also confirmed Breen had made several journeys to Liverpool in April, after the prisoner was released on licence in March 2022.

She initially gave no comment in interviews but later pleaded guilty before trial.

Scott Bowen, defending, said Breen was a single mother, a carer for another child, recently discovered she is pregnant, and described the case as one that would "haunt her".

"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," Mr Bowen added.

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said Breen showed "remorse", did not pose a danger to the public, and noted her pregnancy and childcare duties as key reasons for suspending the sentence.

She said immediate custody would harm others, including Breen's son, unborn child, and the child she cares for, making this an "exceptional case".

A second charge of unauthorised computer access was ordered to lie on file.