A 19-year-old female prison officer has been suspended and arrested following allegations of engaging in a s3xual relationship with an inmate at HMP Five Wells.
The officer is under investigation for misconduct in a public office after a video reportedly captured her engaging in s3xual acts with a prisoner. According to The Sun, the footage, filmed at the £235 million Wellingborough Category C prison, shows the officer performing a s3x act on the inmate before the pair had intercourse. The video has reportedly been circulated among inmates and even shared with people outside the prison.
This incident comes amid a growing number of female prison officers being dismissed for inappropriate relationships with male inmates. Over the past three years, 29 officers have been fired for such misconduct, compared to just nine between 2017 and 2019. Some were even reported to have altered their uniforms to facilitate such encounters.
A source described the situation as “shocking,” stating that the officer’s career is “effectively over.” They added, “I know they’re called screws, but you can’t be sleeping with prisoners in your care, let alone doing it on camera.”
HMP Five Wells, which opened in 2022 and houses approximately 1,700 male inmates, is managed by the private security company G4S. A spokesperson for the prison confirmed the officer’s suspension and ongoing investigation, stating, “A prison custody officer has been suspended and arrested by Northamptonshire Police on suspicion of misconduct in a public office. It would be inappropriate to comment further while investigations are underway.”
Northamptonshire Police also issued a statement confirming the arrest, noting that it is a live investigation, and further details cannot be disclosed at this time.
This scandal follows a similar incident involving another female officer at HMP Five Wells. Rachel Stanton, 31, was suspended in 2022 after her relationship with an inmate, an armed robber serving a 10-and-a-half-year sentence, was uncovered. Prison staff discovered intimate photos and a love letter in the inmate’s cell.
Despite her suspension, Stanton continued the relationship, eventually giving birth to the inmate’s child. She was later convicted of willful misconduct in public office and received an 18-month suspended sentence, along with an order to complete 20 days of rehabilitation.
These incidents have raised concerns about professionalism and boundaries within the prison system, particularly at privately managed facilities like HMP Five Wells.