Gatwick border officer who passed information to prisoners sentenced
- Published
Hearn also sent a video of drugs seized at Gatwick
A Gatwick Airport border officer has been given a suspended jail sentence after sharing sensitive documents with criminals.
Jade Hearn worked on an anti-smuggling team and was arrested in January 2021.
It followed a tip-off from HM Prison Service that the 26-year-old had been sending pictures of herself in uniform to a prisoner in HMP Woodhill.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) found Hearn was talking to at least four men that were using illegally held phones.
In some cases she sent images of sensitive documents containing details of criminal records and individuals who were in custody after being arrested for drug smuggling.
On another occasion she shared details of a police investigation she was assisting with.
Other conversations showed she was moving money through her bank account on behalf of those involved in drug trafficking.
Hearn was subsequently charged with five offences including misconduct in public office, intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence and possession and supply of a class B drug.
She pleaded guilty to all offences, and on Friday a judge at Southwark Crown Court sentenced her to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years.
'Definition of misconduct'
Operations manager at the NCA's anti-corruption unit Dave Rock said Hearn "communicated with individuals behind bars knowing that they were holding those phones illegally, and assisted them in their criminality by arranging money transfers".
"We do not believe that any of the information she passed on caused major impact to ongoing investigations or operations, but there is no doubt that the potential to do so was there had we not stopped her.
"Her corrupt activity was the definition of misconduct in public office," he added.
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