London, January 26: The number of UK prison officers charged with misconduct for engaging in sexual relationships with inmates has reached a decade high. According to Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data, 19 prison staff were charged with misconduct in public office in 2023-24, marking the highest annual figure in ten years.

One high-profile case involved 31-year-old prison officer Linda De Sousa Abreu, jailed for 15 months after being caught having sex with a convicted burglar, Linton Weirich, at Wandsworth Prison in London. Their encounters, filmed by another inmate using a smuggled phone, went viral on social media. Following her conviction, Wandsworth governor Andrew Davy stated that her actions had undermined the hard work of female officers in male prisons, leading to increased harassment from inmates. Linda De Sousa Abreu Jailed Over UK Prison Sex Video: Former HMP Wandsworth Officer Filmed Having Sex With Inmate Gets 15-Month Jail Term.

Since 2013, 121 officers have been charged with forming inappropriate relationships with some of the UK’s most dangerous criminals, reported DailyMail. In one facility alone, HMP Berwyn in Wrexham, three female officers—Jennifer Gavan, Ayshea Gunn, and Emily Watson—were jailed between 2020 and 2023 for similar offenses. Linda De Sousa Abreu, Married HMP Wandsworth Officer Who Had Sex With UK Prison Inmate Mocks Her Ankle Tag in Viral Video, OnlyFans Star Calls It ‘Very Mindful, Very Demure’.

Additionally, nearly 5,000 prison officers have been charged with various crimes over the past decade, including aiding escapes and smuggling contraband. The number of charged officers peaked at 680 in 2023-24, up from 416 in 2013-14.

An MoJ spokesperson said that most prison officers are dedicated professionals and that the department takes strong action against misconduct.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 26, 2025 11:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).