A UK prison officer has been slapped with a 12-month jail sentence after she admitted to being in a relationship with a prison inmate.
The alleged relationship lasted for more than five months, during which the duo exchanged thousands of texts and calls, many of which were explicit in nature.
According to media house The Independent, Cole even sent a picture of her underwear to the prisoner.
Toni Cole, 29, was a prison officer at HMP Five Wells in Northamptonshire and was sentenced to one year in prison after admitting to misconduct in public office.
Co łączy te trzy kobiety? Wszystkie były funkcjonariuszkami służby więziennej w UK. Wszystkie miały romans z osadzonym i wszystkie zostały skazane.
1. Toni Cole wysyłała tysiące smsów do osadzonego, mieli romantyczne “spotkania”, ostrzegała kochanka przed akcjami… pic.twitter.com/RDpzTg6hFe
— Służby w akcji 👮 (@Sluzby_w_akcji) February 19, 2025
The matter would not have taken a serious turn if it had been limited to the exchange of messages. The duo also got physical and was seen kissing, and Cole was also caught sitting on the prisoner’s lap in a CCTV video.
Police also learned that Cole spent long hours in the company of the prison inmate at Wellingborough Prison.
Cole was sentenced to 12 months in jail by Northampton Crown Court and was also ordered to pay a £187 surcharge.
The relationship first came to the attention of authorities in a meeting on January 25, 2023. The meeting was called to discuss an unapproved overtime shift Cole had worked two days prior.
During the meeting, the CCTV footage was analyzed, which showed the prisoner with his arms around Cole, leading to suspicion.
Police recovered Cole’s phone from her locker after her arrest. Subsequent investigations revealed that the duo had made 18 video calls and exchanged thousands of messages between September 2022 and January 2023. Police also found out that Cole had promised to warn the prison inmate if any of her colleagues were planning to search his cell.
Inspector Richard Cornell from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit stated that Cole’s actions crossed the red line and put her and her colleagues’ safety in danger.
Detective Inspector said:
“Toni Cole knew what she was doing was totally inappropriate, and that her behavior was not only putting her at risk but also the safety of her colleagues and inmates. The majority of prison staff carry out their duties to the highest standards, and I hope this sentence sends a clear message to those who seek to undermine public trust while holding positions of authority that inappropriate relationships will be robustly dealt with using the full force of the law.”