Linda De Sousa Abreu, a 30-year-old former prison officer at HMP Wandsworth in the United Kingdom, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison after being caught on camera engaging in intimate acts with an inmate.
The incident, which occurred between 26th and 28th June, came to light when a video of Abreu with the inmate circulated online, attracting significant public attention.
Senior staff at HMP Wandsworth identified Abreu, who was subsequently arrested at Heathrow Airport while attempting to flee the country with her father.
Abreu pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office, as reported by the BBC.
The court heard that a second video, captured on Abreu’s prison-issued body-worn camera, further revealed a pattern of inappropriate behaviour with the same inmate.
Judge Martin Edmunds KC emphasised that the viral video was not an isolated incident but indicative of repeated misconduct.
A spokesperson for the Prison Service stated, “While the overwhelming majority of Prison Service staff are hardworking and honest, we’re catching more of the small minority who break the rules by bolstering our Counter Corruption Unit and strengthening our vetting processes. As today’s sentencing demonstrates, where officers do fall below our high standards we won’t hesitate to take robust action.”
