Prison officer triggered 102 corruption concerns

Megann Gibson worked at HMP Wealstun in Wetherby

A former prison officer who had an intimate relationship with an inmate was also part of a conspiracy to smuggle vapes containing cannabis into jail, a court has heard.

Megann Gibson, 26, pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office and possession of cannabis on 28 May.

A sentencing hearing at Leeds Crown Court was told 102 reports of concerns were made about her by colleagues in the five months she worked at HMP Wealstun near Wetherby in 2023 - the equivalent of about one a day.

Her Honour Judge Kate Rayfield adjourned sentencing until 6 November to consider more evidence from the prosecution.

Gibson had previously told the court she had engaged in "sexual communications" with the prisoner.

Prosecutor Louise Pryke told Thursday's hearing she was also a "person of interest" in a wider investigation involving the supply of cannabis vapes in prisons.

Her love interest, who was not named, was a member of an organised crime group linked to this criminality, she added.

'Enjoyed kisses'

In letters exchanged by the pair, he thanked her for the vapes she gave him - despite her denying she ever took anything into the Category C prison on his behalf.

He also said he had "enjoyed their kisses" despite Gibson denying any sexual activity had taken place between them, Ms Pryke told the court.

"It seems from the context of the letters that they did [engage in sexual intercourse]," she said.

Judge Rayfield described the pair's relationship dynamic as "manipulative" and said the prisoner's mother had acted as a "go-between" in 900 WhatsApp messages they exchanged.

The prisoner, who the court heard was serving an indefinite prison sentence for public protection, had been "directing" his mother on what messages to send to the defendant, the judge added.

Ms Pryke said £1,000 in cash was found at Gibson's home when she was arrested, which Judge Rayfield said was "capable of supporting the assertion that she was being paid".

Gibson told police she had withdrawn the money from a bank, suggesting she had been saving for a tattoo, but no evidence of a withdrawal was found.

Defendant in tears

Officers also found messages between Gibson and other members of the organised crime group, which suggested they had met at the Headingley Taps pub in Leeds.

There was also evidence that Gibson had travelled to Sheffield to meet the prisoner's mother "on at least one occasion", Judge Rayfield added.

While no evidence of the defendant taking items into prison was found, Ms Pyke said she had been stopped while carrying in tobacco, cigarette tips and perfume.

"She didn't carry [the items] into prison because she was stopped."

Gibson had also been seen in her uniform in her car smoking cannabis, Ms Pyke added.

On the 102 reports of potentially corrupt behaviour, Ms Pyke said: "A lot of the reports are of the defendant spending an inordinate amount of time with inmates, going into their cells [and] other officers not being able to find her when she's supposed to be on duty."

Ms Pyke claimed the defendant still passed her probation despite the concerns raised and recorded about her.

Gibson was told she could be jailed at a previous hearing. Carrying a bag of clothes, she wept outside the courtroom before the latest hearing.

Judge Rayfield told her she would be given an opportunity to offer evidence in her defence at the next hearing.

"Only you know what was happening," she said.

"I need the answers to certain questions before I can assess the seriousness of this."

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