A PRISON worker who had sex with an inmate while he was out on temporary release has avoided jail.
Megan Breen, 23, had sex with the convicted drug dealer in a hotel room after travelling 175 miles to meet him in Liverpool when he was on home release.
WNSBreen was beaming from ear to ear as she arrived at Cardiff Crown Court today[/caption]
WNSThe former prison worker pleaded guilty to a charge of misconduct in public office[/caption]
Facebook / Meg LouiseMegan Bree was charged with misconduct in a public office[/caption]
She even met the inmate’s family on the trip and exchanged hundreds of messages with him while he was behind bars.
Cardiff Crown Court heard the prisoner was being held in the category D open jail HMP Prescoed when their romance began.
Breen was employed as a member of operational support staff at HMP Usk and HMP Prescoed, which are both in Gwent, South Wales.
The single mother carried on the inappropriate relationship with the prisoner for three months, exchanging more than 550 racy texts with the drug dealer.
The 23-year-old pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office after previously pleading not guilty to the charge.
A second allegation of illegally accessing a computer was not proceeded with.
Breen was bailed with a warning that she could be facing down a jail term when she returned to court.
She was handed a 10 month suspended sentence, 15 days rehabilitation requirement and ordered to pay £500 costs at £50 per month.
Prosecutor Thomas Stanway said Breen was arrested after she confessed the fling to colleague William Morgan.
He said: “She told Mr Morgan of a recent trip to Liverpool for her birthday with two other colleagues and whilst there she had slept with a man.
“She told him that the man was a prisoner at Prescoed and she used to speak to him while on night duties.
“He asked ‘which prisoner’ the defendant at this point pointed to the screen showing the photograph of the male prisoner.
“Mr Morgan’s reaction was one of disbelief and that she must have been joking.
“But she confirmed that had met him whilst he was on home leave and they had met up for drinks and went back to her hotel together.
“She discussed she had met his family and that they liked her and she liked them.
Facebook / Meg LouiseThe 23-year-old was employed at two prisons during her affair with the unnamed inmate[/caption]
WNSMegan Breen was previously bailed with a warning that she could be facing down a jail term when she returned to court[/caption]
“She informed Mr Morgan that a few other prisoners knew of the relationship but they wouldn’t say anything and the two colleagues she travelled to Liverpool also knew of the relationship.”
Breen’s fling with the lag is alleged to have taken place between February and May 2022.
When she was challenged about the consequences of her affair by Mr Morgan, Breen brazenly replied: “Yeah about five years but no one is going to say anything.”
Mr Morgan informed prison bosses of her confession and during a search of the inmate’s cell a handwritten note with Breen’s mobile number and Snapchat handle were found.
The inmate was coming to the end of his sentence, was freed during the days to work at a nearby poultry farm and had been issued with a mobile phone.
Phone analysis from his prison-issued device showed they had contacted each other 558 times.
The court was told Breen had argued with the unnamed inmate after accessing his phone and seeing he had been Facetiming other women.
The fallout caused a rift between the illicit lovers and they stopped talking.
Mr Stanway said: “Messages on the phone corroborated that she had made arrangements to meet him on that trip to Liverpool.
“They clearly demonstrated a close personal romantic relationship between the defendant and the male prisoner.
“They said they loved each other and using other similar terms of affection and heart emojis from the defendant to the male prisoner.”
Scott Bowen, defending, said Breen had a young child and was expecting a second, having only discovered she was pregnant again the day before the sentencing.
He added that she was only 19 and 20 at the time of the offending and had “buried her head in the sand” over the possible punishment.
Judge, Recorder of Cardiff Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said: “You knew what you were doing was wrong and you were aware of the consequence.”
But the judge said due to the “exceptional circumstances” of the children relying on Breen the sentence could be suspended.
“It is clear immediate custody would result in significant harmful impact on others.”
WNSMegan worked as support staff at HMP Usk[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
