A viral explicit video has caused a scandal at HMP Wandsworth with the footage showing a former prison officer, Linda De Sousa Abreu, engaging in sexual activity with an inmate inside his cell.
The incident has prompted a police investigation and raised significant concerns about security and staff conduct within the prison system.
The footage, reportedly filmed recently, shows Abreu, 31, in uniform, performing sexual acts with an unidentified prisoner while being recorded by his cellmate.
The incident took place at the Category A prison in South-west London where security lapses have previously been highlighted.
Abreu, who recently resigned from her position amidst the unfolding scandal, is also known for her appearance on Channel 4’s documentary “Open House: The Great Sex Experiment,” where she and her husband explored unconventional aspects of relationships.
In a statement, Abreu’s sister, Andreina, expressed concern over her sibling’s lifestyle choices, mentioning her involvement in swinging and an explicit OnlyFans account.
She revealed her discomfort with being associated with this aspect of her sister’s life, which clashed with her own values and public persona as a fitness advocate and religious individual.
Andreina said, “She’s a swinger. She was on a Channel four programme called Open House. I never saw it. It’s not the sort of thing I’d watch with my little sister in.'”
The scandal has reignited debates about the integrity of prison staff and the challenges faced within the UK’s prison system.
A former head of security at another prison, Vanessa Frake, condemned the incident as a “disgrace to the uniform and a breach of trust.”
Responding to the incident, a spokesperson from the Prison Service emphasised a zero-tolerance policy towards staff corruption and confirmed that Abreu has been reported to the police.
The Metropolitan Police have initiated an investigation into the matter.
Andreina said, “I’ve had my say with her, I was very brutally honest with her about her behaviours. I spoke to her previously about her lifestyle.'”
This incident adds to a series of controversies surrounding HMP Wandsworth, which has faced criticism for overcrowding, drug use among inmates, and security vulnerabilities.
The prison’s management and the Ministry of Justice are under pressure to address these systemic issues to ensure the safety and integrity of the prison environment.
This sexual impropriety is far from unique to HMP Berwyn in Wrexham, which calls cells 'rooms', blocks 'communities', and allows inmates to have their own phones and laptops.
There has been an alarming rise in the number of female officers from across the HM Prison Service found guilty of striking up illicit relationships.
The latest figures from the MoJ revealed that as of last September female prison officers now represent 42.1 per cent of the workforce.
In five years, the number of female officers working in prisons has risen by 3,519 - a surge of nearly 28 per cent.
The latest totals showed 16,199 females were employed, compared to 22,309 males.
Cases at other prisons of female warders crossing sexual boundaries includes that of Corinne Redhead, 29 who had an inmate's baby following a secret year-long fling and was jailed for nearly two years in November 2022.
She said: 'Eight weeks training did not prepare them for their first day on the wings and the job took a tremendous emotional toll.
'But let me make it clear that the vast majority of young, female recruits are doing a fine job under intense scrutiny and pressure.
'However, the statistics don't lie, and it is apparent that a small number make the life changing mistake of falling for a prisoner they should be locking up.'