Prison worker sentenced for inmate relationship

A prison maths teacher who smuggled codeine into jail for an inmate she was having a relationship with was caught when a love letter was discovered in her handbag, a court heard.

Kelsey Calvert had pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office and carrying a prohibited article into prison while she was employed at HMP Holme House in Stockton-on-Tees.

The 28-year-old sobbed in Teesside Crown Court's dock on Thursday as she was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years.

Judge Joanne Kidd told Calvert, of Ryhope, Sunderland, she had been "groomed" and had her "head turned by a deeply manipulative criminal".

The court heard Calvert worked at the category C men's prison from April to November 2022, until she was searched on her way into work one day and a letter was found in her handbag suggesting she was having a personal relationship with a prisoner.

When spoken to by the deputy governor, Calvert said she and the inmate had been exchanging love letters.

She also admitted bring codeine that had been prescribed for her father into the jail because the prisoner told her he needed it.

Prosecutor Shaun Dryden told the court Calvert said the prisoner had begun writing her letters, which she initially refused, but he persisted.

An investigation found love letters between the two in the prisoner's cell and Calvert's home, and police also uncovered seven phone calls between them, confirming they had a sexual relationship, Mr Dryden said.

Calvert had been speaking to the prisoner as one of his list of contacts using a false name.

In the calls, the inmate also told Calvert he was in trouble and needed to get drugs into the prison, seemingly in order to pay off a debt, it was said.

When interviewed by police, Calvert said she had brought codeine to the prisoner on one occasion as he was suffering from pain after having a tooth removed, the court heard.

Mr Dryden said the defendant said the prisoner asked her to collect a letter from a friend but believed the envelope contained drugs "so hadn't done that".

In mitigation, the court heard Calvert was "mortified by what she was influenced to do" and had been "taken advantage of and manipulated by someone who expressed feelings for her".

Judge Kidd told Calvert: "I have listened to the phone calls that passed between you. You loved him and he told you that he loved you, and such was your level of vulnerability... that you wanted to hear what he said."

On top of the suspended sentence, Calvert was also ordered to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity days.

A Prison Service spokesperson said the "overwhelming majority of people working in prisons are hardworking and honest" and that the Counter-Corruption Unit was "catching more of the small minority who are not".

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