Description
A prison officer has been sentenced to 16 months in prison after sending hundreds of explicit messages and smuggling designer clothes to an inmate. Rachel Martin worked at HMP Guys Marsh and admitted to having an "emotional or intimate" relationship with prisoner Raymond Abraham. Last October, he pleaded guilty to eight counts of misconduct and a single count of incitement to possess a mobile phone while in prison at Bournemouth Crown Court.
On Tuesday, Martin reappeared in the same courtroom where Judge Stephen Climie heard he made hundreds of phone and video calls to Abraham between November 2020 and March 2021.
The 25-year-old delivered a package to Abraham that contained "high-value designer clothing and shoes" as well as "women's underwear."
The court heard that Martin had received at least £10,000 on Abraham's behalf, spending thousands of pounds on online clothing websites.
He messaged a friend on Facebook who asked what others thought of the relationship, Martin replied: "Others can see how happy I am when I talk to him on the phone, how much he loves me. He helps me financially while paying all my bills and helping me." deal with everything I want.
Martin kept in touch with Abraham using two different illicit cell phones that he kept in his cell, advising him to "flush" it down the toilet if his cell was searched.
In addition to hundreds of calls, the couple exchanged 900 WhatsApp messages over the four-month period, some of which were explicit in nature "expressing the desire to have sexual intercourse with each other," and declared their love for each other. in December. 2020.
Abraham, who is 17 years older than Martin, was described as having a "significant criminal record".
Abraham identified him as a potentially vulnerable candidate for grooming and it was effective and resulted in a degree of intimacy.
In mitigation, the court heard that Martin had been diagnosed with ADHD and was likely suffering from a depressive episode when the relationship with Abraham developed.
The court also heard Martin "deeply regret" her actions, as she was "in love" with Abraham and he "exploited" her weaknesses.
At the sentencing, Judge Climie said: 'He started working as a corrections officer in early 2020 and despite his training, he did not follow instructions.
"I'm sure Abraham identified him as a potentially vulnerable candidate for grooming and it was effective and resulted in a degree of intimacy, both face to face and over messages.
"It also involved you agreeing to take items like clothing with a high monetary value.
"You have been awarded at least £10,000 and a significant part of your offense involved personal gain in the form of money and therefore the penalty is 16 months' immediate imprisonment."
Martin, from Salisbury in Wiltshire, has denied a 10th charge of providing Abraham with a mobile phone which prosecutors say is on file.
She sobbed in the courtroom as the sentence was passed.
Prisons Minister Damian Hinds said: “We will never tolerate those few prison officers who break the rules for their own gain and compromise the security of our prisons.
"While the vast majority of officers perform their duties to the highest standards, we will always take the strongest possible action against the small minority who break the law, including those who engage in illicit relationships."
PA files
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