Guard on trial for having sex with inmate
The Wandsworth Prison in London has a bad reputation. The jail is once again making headlines for negative reasons. A female guard is standing trial for having sex with an inmate.
A female civil servant in England had sex with an inmate in his cell, a fellow inmate recorded the act on a mobile phone - the video ended up on the internet: A 30-year-old woman has been charged with serious misconduct in public office and appeared in court.
She is accused of "deliberately and without reasonable explanation or justification acting in a way that amounted to an abuse of public trust in the office holder, by engaging in sexual acts with a prisoner in a prison cell", according to the indictment. The woman was released on bail. The next court date was set for July 29.
The clip from Wandsworth Prison in London sheds light on conditions in British prisons. Many prisons are criticized for poor living conditions. Overcrowding, vermin, bullying, and drugs are part of daily life.
Wandsworth Prison is one of the most famous in the country. Boris Becker, the German former tennis star, described difficult hygienic conditions and conflicts among inmates after his release from Wandsworth. There are over 1500 inmates housed there. The building, which opened in 1851, was originally designed to accommodate fewer than 1000 inmates.
In September 2023, a sensational escape of a terror suspect from the prison attracted attention. He had slipped out of the prison kitchen in his uniform and had himself bound under a delivery truck with strips of his bed sheets. The man was not found for several days.
The 30-year-old woman's actions have sparked international concern about prison reform, as processes in other countries may also be at risk. Despite its fame, Wandsworth Prison in England has been consistently criticized for its inadequate conditions, including overcrowding, vermin, bullying, and the prevalence of drugs.
