Prison officer jailed after 'inappropriate relationship' with inmate at HMP The Mount
Between May and June 2019 - Dawn MacCormack shared 4,500 texts and calls with them on phones smuggled into the prison
A prison officer has been jailed after having an inappropriate relationship with an inmate.
Dawn MacCormack, 42, of Organ Hall Road, Borehamwood, began an intimate relationship with a prisoner in January 2019 while working at HMP The Mount, near Hemel Hempstead.
Detectives discovered the inmate had been in possession of two illicit phones that had been smuggled into the prison. Using these devices, he and MacCormack shared 4,500 texts and calls between 15 May 2019 and 20 June 2019.
MacCormack was charged in June 2020 and, following a nine-day trial at St Albans Crown Court in July of this year, was convicted of misconduct in public office.
Last Friday (13 September), MacCormack was sentenced to 26 months in prison.
During the trial, MacCormack plead guilty to two counts of exchanging messages and was sentenced to 12 months in prison, to be served concurrently.
Detective Constable Paula Mowbray, from the Dacorum Local Crime Unit, said: “I hope this sentence sends a clear message that those who seek to undermine public trust while holding positions of authority will be dealt with by the full force of the law.
“The majority of prison staff carry out their duties to the highest standards, and I do not want this sentence to detract from that. However, the actions of the minority who engage in illicit behaviour and inappropriate relationships should not be ignored, and we will continue to investigate such cases.
“I would also like to praise staff at HMP The Mount who came forward to give evidence during the trial, leading to a successful conviction. Prison officers up and down the country work tirelessly to maintain the smooth running of the prison regime and were brave enough to stand up to a colleague who was abusing her position and endangering the safety of her colleagues. Her corrupt behaviour completely undermines the difficult and dangerous work that prison officers do in order to help protect the public and keep prisons secure.”