Female guard, 20, "suspended over sexual relationship with prisoner" at Doncaster jail

Officials at Doncaster’s HMP Moorland have launched an investigation into the 20-year-old female prison officer, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The woman is said to have engaged in “heavy petting” with a sex offender at the jail – and a source told the newspaper that the pair had also exchanged mobile phone numbers, both of which are potential breaches of prison security.

The Telegraph reported that the investigation is being overseen by the prison service’s counter-corruption unit, set up to root out “dangerous” behaviour between prisoners and staff that can lead to blackmail and illicit items being smuggled in.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “We take all allegations of wrongdoing extremely seriously but it would be inappropriate to comment further on a live investigation.”

Last year, the number of prison officers caught having affairs with inmates hit a record high, with 36 warders sacked since 2019.