Prison Officer Nabbed Over Secret Affair With Violent Inmate
A 27-year-old prison officer, Charlotte Winstanley, is facing up to 10 years in prison after admitting to an illicit relationship with a violent inmate at HMP Lindholme in South Yorkshire.
Winstanley appeared at Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday, September 11, where she pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office for engaging in a romantic affair with 29-year-old convicted offender, Jabhari Blair, between August and November 2022. She also admitted smuggling contraband including a mobile phone and SD cards into the Category C prison.
Prosecutors further revealed that she sent a photograph from inside the prison in April 2023. Winstanley, from Stainforth, South Yorkshire, has been released on bail until sentencing scheduled for December 3.
Blair, who is serving over 12 years for his role in a violent street brawl, joined the hearing via video link from Lowdham Grange prison in Nottinghamshire. He admitted to possessing cannabis, a mobile phone, and a USB stick. When told he would be sentenced on his 30th birthday, Blair quipped to the judge: “Thanks for the birthday present.”
Winstanley’s barrister, Khadim Al-Hassan, said she had made “a full and frank disclosure” and accepted responsibility without seeking to minimise her role.
Judge Megan Rhys warned both defendants they would face sentencing in December, telling Winstanley she must return to court on time or face arrest.
The case adds to a growing number of similar scandals, with at least 30 female prison officers dismissed in the past three years in UK for inappropriate relationships with inmates.
