A FORMER prison officer who engaged in a sex act with a ‘soulmate’ prisoner on the mother and baby wing has escaped jail – despite being told by a judge custody was inevitable.
Stephen Hennessy, 25, had been told by Judge Nic Madge to expect an immediate prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to one count of misconduct while in a public office.
The inmate told Hennessy she loved him and thought they were soulmates before the incident happened in her cell in the summer last year.
He admitted engaging in a sex act with a prisoner while working at HMP Peterborough but walked free from Peterborough Crown Court yesterday (THUR).
The turnabout came after the judge heard how Hennessy, of Howland in Peterborough,
made attempts to transfer away from the prison’s mother and baby wing, where the inmate was imprisoned, before the event took place.
Judge Madge said he was able to give him a suspended sentence – despite saying that prison security was compromised by his actions.
Cheryl Williams, prosecuting, said: “Hennessy had been employed as a prison officer since 2007.
“In 2010 he came into contact with a prisoner on the mother and baby unit.
“During that time there was an incident in her cell where she performed a sex act on him.
“After she was released she revealed what had happened to probation and an investigation was started, and he made full admissions.
“He was dismissed from his job and later arrested. He accepted his actions and admitted he had made a dreadful mistake.”
Gordon Aspden, defending, said: “He had been working on the wing for a while, when he realised he had feelings for the prisoner and asked to be transferred to another area of the prison.
“When he told the prisoner, she said she loved him, and thought they were soulmates.
“On a later date she tried to kiss him but he rebuffed her advances.
“On the day itself she made excuses for him to come in to her cell and he did not have the character to turn her down.”
Mr Aspden added that Hennessy had been a valuable member of the prison team, working in the community to speak to school pupils to turn them away from a life of crime.
Hennessy, who was visibly shaking in the dock, was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
Judge Madge said: “Prison officers are in a position of considerable power over prisoners.
“They are in a position to take advantage of prisoners who may be vulnerable. Prison officers who have sex with inmates inevitably damage the public trust in the prison system as a whole.”
