A jail worker who was involved in a relationship with an inmate at Wellington Correctional Centre was given a custodial sentence in Orange Local Court on Wednesday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The woman had previously followed Correctional Services NSW procedures and was working as a programs officer in mid 2018 when she came across the inmate, who she first met socially in 2013.
When arrested she said she initially had maintained a professional relationship but over time it developed and an investigation showed she was in a relationship that caused a safety and security risk at the correctional centre between November 22, 2018, and January 27, 2019.
ALSO MAKING NEWS:
The woman got a second mobile number and registered it on his phone list under a fake name so the inmate could phone her and they shared intimate conversations, with some of a sexual nature.
She also paid money from her savings accounts into bank accounts that he nominated, which she suspected were to pay off his drug debts.
She also used the visitor ID number of one of his relatives to deposit money into his jail account and maintained contact with him when he was transferred to other jails.
When the man was released on parole the woman drove to Junee to collect him and hugged him but said it was the only physical affection that she had with him.
During sentencing magistrate David Day said the relationship, which has ended, posed a risk but she lost her job over the issue, which was extra-curial punishment, was unlikely to reoffend and was training for a new career.
"She will never work in corrections again," Mr Day said
He gave her a 12-month intensive correction order, which is a community-based custodial sentence.
