Female guard at UK 'super prison' had 'inappropriate relationships' with two lags

A prison officer has become the third female guard inside a year to be convicted of having inappropriate relationships with inmates.

Guard Aimee Duke was found exchanging messages and "interacting inappropriately" with lags while working at "super-prison" HMP Five Wells. The 26-year-old admitted two counts of misconduct in public office and was jailed for 12 months at Northampton Crown Court.

She is the third female prison officer to be convicted of similar offences at the controversial £253m prison in in Northamptonshire, which opened in 2022. In February this year, Toni Cole, 29, was jailed for 12 months over a series of intimate trysts with an inmate, who she also sent 4,000 racy message to.

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In July last year Rachel Stanton, 31, avoided prison after she romped with an armed robber and sent him sexy love letters.

A court heard Duke was rumbled less than four months into her job when when information on a hidden phone led to bosses launching an investigation.

The contraband mobile was found in the laundry room and searches for Aimee Duke's name had been made on Facebook. Duke was subject to a staff search and a piece of paper was discovered in her purse on which a prison ID number was written.

Prison CCTV was then reviewed to track Duke’s movements revealing ‘inappropriate’ conduct by the prison officer. On one day, Duke was seen at 8.30am going on to the wing when she ‘had no professional reason to do so’ carrying a pink bag while not on duty.

CCTV also showed her going into a one-person cell, later emerging with two inmates. Duke was arrested at work on September 23, 2022, and her mobile phone was seized.

Analysis of phones revealed 248 contacts with one prisoner over a two-month period, indicating an "inappropriate relationship" between the pair.

The lag asked Duke "to send pictures" and she had responded by sending a photograph of "her tan". Even when Brooks was moved to another prison, the pair continued to message calling each other "babe".

In one message, the prisoner wrote “I want us to be together 100%”. In another, Duke messaged him “I can’t wait to see you.” Records revealed another 254 contacts – phone calls and messages – between Duke and the second prisoner.

Prosecutor Pree Brada said Duke, of Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes, knew the calls were "inappropriate" and a "deliberate act". Sentencing, Her Honour Judge Adrienne Lucking said: “What you did was engage in inappropriate relationships with two prisoners.

"You would have been made well aware what was appropriate and what was inappropriate. CCTV revealed that you had been interacting inappropriately with prisoners. You disregarding the training given to you. These relationships were inappropriate."

Duke was told why she would be jailed despite pleading silently to the judge, mouthing ‘please’ when a suspended sentence was mentioned.

Judge Lucking said: “You were a prison officer and undermined prison discipline. Your remorse is genuine. I’m afraid there is no other alternative to a custodial sentence.”

Liam Muir, defending, said Duke was of previous ‘good character’ and had pleaded guilty. Duke, who sobbed throughout proceedings, waved to her family as she was led away to start her sentence.

Detective Inspector Richard Cornell, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said afterwards: “Prison officers are in positions of authority and unfortunately, Aimee Duke used her position to form inappropriate relationships.

“Her actions do not reflect the fact that most prison staff are law-abiding citizens who carry out their duties to the highest standards.

“I hope this sentence sends a clear message to those who seek to undermine public trust while holding positions of authority that inappropriate behaviour such as in this case will be robustly dealt with using the full force of the law.”