A prison support worker involved in a romantic relationship with a drug dealer has been sentenced to six months in jail for misconduct in a public office.
Heidi Bessant, 38, engaged in a six-month affair with the inmate while working at HMP Leyhill, an open prison in South Gloucestershire, starting in November 2023. The relationship included outings to restaurants and hotels during the prisoner’s day releases, and Bessant also managed his financial matters.
The court revealed that the affair came to light in June 2024 when the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit investigated suspicions surrounding Bessant, who held a position as a prison operational support grade. It was uncovered that she had been romantically involved with a prisoner serving time for drug-related charges.
Evidence presented in court indicated that the pair communicated through unauthorized phone calls and text messages, met at various establishments during the prisoner’s day outs, and Bessant facilitated money transfers into the inmate’s prison account using his bank card details.
Following her guilty plea to misconduct in a public office at Bristol Crown Court, Bessant, residing in Chepstow, was sentenced to six months in prison. PC Mark Paterson, a corruption investigator at SWROCU, condemned Bessant’s actions as a severe breach of trust, emphasizing the importance of upholding professionalism and integrity in such roles.
SWROCU reiterated its commitment to collaborating with relevant authorities to root out any criminal behaviors among prison staff, underscoring a zero-tolerance policy towards such misconduct.