Former Prison Officer Jailed for Misconduct

A former Doncaster prison officer smuggled an addictive pain killer into jail, where she was in a relationship with one of the inmates.

Jade McCarthy also planned to pass mobile phones to prisoners at HMP Doncaster, police believe.

The 27-year-old has been sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to 27 months behind bars after admitting two counts of misconduct in a public office and one of conveying a List A article into prison.

McCarthy was employed at the jail in 2015, but colleagues began to suspect she may be in a relationship with a serving prisoner. When she was arrested in November that year by South Yorkshire Police's prison investigation team, a blister pack of tramadol was found in her handbag within the prison.

Additionally, a number of mobile phones were recovered from her home, and nude photos of an inmate, whom she had contacted several times by phone, were found on her handset.

Acting Detective Sergeant Alex Dorlin, from the prison investigation team, said:

"McCarthy admitted being in a relationship with a prisoner once arrested and has accepted responsibility for her dishonest and disappointing actions.

"As a prison officer, the public quite rightly expect a high standard of behaviour and McCarthy did not conduct herself in a professional, ethical or legal manner at all."

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