Yahoo News Three female guards at same prison jailed for affairs with inmates
Jennifer Gavan, 27, Ayshea Gunn, 27, and Emily Watson, 26, have all been jailed within the last three years for sparking relationships with prisoners at HMP Berwyn in Wrexham, North Wale
Three female guards at Britain's biggest prison have been jailed for having affairs with inmates – prompting extra training for staff to tackle the problem.
Jennifer Gavan, 27, Ayshea Gunn, 27, and Emily Watson, 26, have all been jailed within the last three years for sparking relationships with prisoners at HMP Berwyn in Wrexham, north Wales, which houses Category C adult male offenders.
Their sentences have prompted corruption prevention training for more than 500 members of staff at the 2,100-capacity prison.
Gavan, of Llay, Wrexham, was jailed for eight months in December after pleading guilty to misconduct in public office at Mold Crown Court for accepting £150 to smuggle a mobile phone in to the prison for inmate Alex Coxon, 25.
A court heard she sent photos of herself to him on Snapchat and kissed him during their relationship between April and July 2020.
Their relationship came just a year after fellow officer Ayshea Gunn, 27, had a fling with "dangerous" inmate Khuram Razaq, 29.
The criminology and psychology graduate made numerous sexual phone calls to Razaq while he was serving a 12-year sentence for conspiracy to rob.
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A search of Gunn's bedroom revealed snaps of the pair kissing and hugging, with mobile phone pictures taken in Razaq's cell.
Gunn, who was jailed for one year at Mold Crown Court in 2019, also smuggled in a pair of knickers for the prisoner inside her bra, the court heard.
The third prison officer, 26-year-old Emily Watson, was jailed at the same court for performing a sex act on an inmate in his cell.
Watson spent so much time with John McGee at the prison that staff soon became suspicious and launched an investigation.
Mold Crown Court heard they had been alone together in his cell on three occasions, when she performed a sex act on him twice and had intercourse once.
Watson, of Huddersfield, was jailed for one year in April 2019.
The Prison Service said the most recent independent inspection into HMP Berwyn found security arrangements were good.
Prison staff are being vetted every 10 years and the service is piloting social media checks for some "higher risk" roles such as prison officers.
Enhanced gate security has also been introduced to deter staff from smuggling illicit items behind bars.
A Prison Service spokesman said: "The overwhelming majority of Prison Service staff are hardworking and dedicated and we will not hesitate to punish those who break the rules.
"Over 500 members of staff at HMP Berwyn have undertaken corruption prevention training in the last 18 months and our enhanced security is protecting the prison against attempts to smuggle illicit items inside."
