Prison officer Aimee Duke who has been jailed (Image: SWNS)
A prison officer has become the third female guard in just a year to be convicted of having inappropriate relationships with prisoners at the same jail. Aimee Duke was found exchanging messages and “interacting inappropriately” with several prisoners while working at “super-prison” HMP Five Wells. The 26-year-old admitted two counts of misconduct in public office and was jailed for 12 months at Northampton Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday, 26 August).
She is the third female prison officer to be convicted of similar offences at the controversial £253m prison in Northamptonshire, which opened in 2022. In February this year, Toni Cole, 29, was jailed for 12 months over a series of intimate encounters with an inmate, to whom she also sent 4,000 steamy messages.
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Toni Cole in her police mugshot (Image: SWNS)
And in July last year, Rachel Stanton, 31, narrowly avoided prison after she had sex with an armed robber and sent him passionate love letters.
A court heard Duke was caught less than four months into her job when information on a concealed phone led to bosses launching an investigation.
The banned mobile was discovered in the laundry room, and searches for Aimee Duke’s name had been made on Facebook. Duke was subject to a staff search, and a piece of paper was found in her purse on which the prison ID number for Lorenzo Brooks was written.
Prison CCTV was then reviewed to track Duke’s movements revealing ‘inappropriate’ conduct by the prison officer. On one day, Duke was seen at 8.30am going on to the wing when she ‘had no professional reason to do so’ carrying a pink bag while not on duty.
CCTV also showed her entering a one-person cell, later emerging with two inmates. Duke was apprehended at her workplace on 23 September 2022, and her mobile phone was confiscated.
In July last year Rachel Stanton, 31, narrowly avoided prison (Image: SWNS)
Examination of the phones unveiled 248 contacts with one inmate over a two-month span, suggesting an “inappropriate relationship” between the duo.
The prisoner requested Duke “to send pictures”, to which she responded by sending a snap of “her tan”. Even when Brooks was transferred to another prison, the pair kept in touch, affectionately addressing each other as “babe”.
In one text, the inmate wrote, “I want us to be together 100%”. In another, Duke messaged him, “I can’t wait to see you”. Records disclosed another 254 contacts – phone calls and messages – between Duke and the second prisoner.
Prosecutor Pree Brada stated that Duke, from Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes, was aware that the calls were “inappropriate” and a “deliberate act”.
During sentencing, Her Honour Judge Adrienne Lucking said: “What you did was engage in inappropriate relationships with two prisoners.
Aimee worked at HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough (Image: SWNS)
“You would have been made well aware what was appropriate and what was inappropriate. CCTV revealed that you had been interacting inappropriately with prisoners. You disregarded the training given to you. These relationships were inappropriate.”
Despite Duke’s silent plea to the judge, mouthing ‘please’ when a suspended sentence was mentioned, she was informed why she would be incarcerated.
Judge Lucking added it was regrettable that there was no other alternative than Duke being sent to prison. She stated, “You were a prison officer and undermined prison discipline. Your remorse is genuine. I’m afraid there is no other alternative to a custodial sentence.”
Liam Muir, defending, said that Duke was of previous ‘good character’ and had pleaded guilty, adding they weren’t sexual in nature. Duke, who wept throughout the proceedings, waved to her family as she was led away to begin her sentence.
Aimee pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct (Image: SWNS)
Detective Inspector Richard Cornell, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said afterwards: “Prison officers are in positions of authority and unfortunately, Aimee Duke used her position to form inappropriate relationships.
“Her actions do not reflect the fact that most prison staff are law-abiding citizens who carry out their duties to the highest standards.
“I hope this sentence sends a clear message to those who seek to undermine public trust while holding positions of authority that inappropriate behaviour, such as in this case, will be robustly dealt with using the full force of the law.”
The jail, which is run by G4S, has previously come under fire after inspectors flagged serious concerns about staff safety, drugs and food shortages.