Five Wells prison officer jailed over relationship with inmate

A prison officer who admitted to an “inappropriate” relationship with a prisoner has been jailed for 12 months.

Toni Cole, 29, admitted to sharing 4,431 texts and calls with a 28-year male inmate at HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, over a five-month period between 1 September 2022 and 25 January 2023.

These communications were described by police as “sexualised or flirtatious” in nature and included a photograph of underwear.

Cole, from Wellingborough, pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office and was sentenced at Northampton Crown Court on 13 February to 12 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay a £187 surcharge.

The relationship was discovered during a meeting on 25 January 2023, which had been arranged to discuss an unauthorised overtime shift she had worked two days earlier.

CCTV footage from the shift showed Cole had spent “considerable time” with the prisoner, with the footage appearing to show him with his arm around her.

Cole’s Samsung S22 mobile phone was seized from her locker during her arrest.

The investigation also found that Cole had sat on the prisoner’s lap and “promised to tip him off” if she discovered that his cell was going to searched by her colleagues.

Det Insp Richard Cornell said: “Toni Cole knew what she was doing was totally inappropriate, and that her behaviour was not only putting her at risk, but also the safety of her colleagues and inmates.

“I hope this sentence sends a clear message.”