Former prison guard jailed for sex with inmate

A former prison officer at HMP Wandsworth who was filmed having sex with an inmate has been jailed for 15 months.

Linda De Sousa Abreu was identified by top prison officials after the clip was shared online and quickly went viral.

The Wandsworth governor said Abreu’s actions took “less than a day” to undo many years of work for female staff in all-male prisons.

Abreu, 30, who was arrested at Heathrow Airport before attempting to board a flight to Madrid with her father, had previously pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office .

In a partial written statement to Isleworth Crown Court, Andrew Davy, the governor of Wandsworth, said many female prison staff had reported an increase in the number of “harassed” by inmates and were now considered ” a fair game.”

Abreu and the inmate were filmed in a cell between June 26 and 28.

The Metropolitan Police said investigations were ongoing into the two prisoners identified in the video.

The court was also told that another recording of her performing a sexual act with the same inmate was found on her body-worn camera – and Abreu admitted to having sex with that prisoner at another opportunity.

Judge Martin Edmunds KC said the video which went viral was therefore not isolated and part of a pattern of behaviour.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “While the overwhelming majority of Prison Service staff are hardworking and honest, we are catching more of the small minority who break the rules by strengthening our anti-corruption unit and strengthening our control process.

“As today’s sentencing demonstrates, when officers fail to meet our high standards, we will not hesitate to take strong action.”

The Prison Officers’ Association, which represents prison staff, said it recognized that a small number of corrupt staff worked in prisons and harmed the work of others.