A prison officer has been jailed for ten months after prison bosses found a secret tattoo on her upper thigh that was dedicated to the inmate she had fallen in love with.
Scarlett Aldrich, who worked in a maximum security Full Sutton jail, had the armed robber's cell number inked on to her skin which was discovered during a medical examination.
According to Hull Crown Court, Aldrich - whose mum and stepdad are both police officers - wrote love letters to the inmate as well as smuggling in a mobile phone and sim card.
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The 22-year-old appeared on a video link from HMP New Hall, in Wakefield, where she was being held.
When debating whether to suspend her sentence, Judge John Thackray QC said the offences were so serious the least he could impose was ten months - with half to be served.
He told her: "Your offending is obviously very serious committed while you were acting as a prison officer in a high security prison.
"You did receive the training about the obvious dangers of developing close relationships with inmates.
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"Despite this, you developed a relationship with an inmate serving a sentence for robbery. You allowed yourself to be taken in by him."
He added: "You put the safety and security of the prison in jeopardy.
"This was a high security prison where mobile phones and sim cards can be used as currency, providing power, influence, and disrupting prison life.
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"You breached the trust that had been given to you."
According to reports in The Sun, the judge accepted that Aldrich only gave the prisoner a phone and sim card to keep in contact with her and no other crime had been committed.
While she was being sentenced Aldrich, from Sowerby, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, reportedly showed no emotion.
Reports show that suspicions began in August 2019 when Aldrich would spend a lot of time with the prisoner, known only as 'Jones'.
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Prosecuting, Ayman Khokar said: "It was noticed that the defendant would enter the workshop, greet other prison staff, before going to sit with Jones and chat with him for up to an hour at a time.
"These visits became more frequent and other prisoners commented on the closeness between the two.
"She was warned about what her behaviour looked like - but the defendant returned to the workshop and chatted with the prisoner."
Shortly after, on 9 September, prison staff found the mobile phone in the cell with a number of messages on it. By 18 September, Aldrich had been suspended before she confessed to governors that the relationship started following a violent argument with her ex.
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Defending the young woman, Susanna Proctor said: "She had a cut on her face. He was providing comfort towards her and that led to the relationship she is now in court for.
"She explained she had been vulnerable due to her partner assaulting her which left a mark.
"Jones noticed the mark. He contacted her and made threats towards her partner. She admitted she brought in the mobile phone and sim card.
"She was then asked by the prisoner to hold onto £5,000 at her home which would be collected by a gentleman nicknamed 'Ginger Scouser'. She became concerned and blocked the prisoner's number."
Featured Image Credit: Ben LackTopics: UK News, News, UK, Prison