Prison officer who sent more than 4,000 sexual messages to inmate and gave him heads-up about cell searches is jailed
A PRISON officer has been jailed after she sent more than 4,000 sexual messages to an inmate.
Toni Cole, 29, struck up an inappropriate relationship with the prisoner while working at HMP Five Wells in Northamptonshire.
She kissed him and sat on his lap and even gave the inmate a heads-up about cell searches at the Category C jail.
Cole also sent her lag lover 4,369 messages and took part in 18 video calls while engaging in "contact which was sexualised or flirtatious".
She has now been jailed for a year after pleading guilty to misconduct in public office.
The prison officer was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £187 at Northampton Crown Court.
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Cole's fling with the prisoner took place between 9 December 2022 and 25 January 2023, before it was rumbled by bosses.
She is the second female officer convicted of misconduct in public office at the Wellingborough jail.
Last year, Rachel Stanton was convicted over her relationship with jailed armed robber Edwin Poole.
The mum-of-five, 31, had sex with the inmate in a storeroom and later gave birth to his baby.
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Their illicit tryst was rumbled when prison staff discovered three X-rated photos and a racy love letter in Poole's cell.
Stanton sobbed at Northampton Crown Court as she was spared a jail sentence for wilful misconduct in public office.
She was instead handed a nine-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to take part in 20 days rehabilitation activity.
The pair are the latest in a string of female prison officers caught having inappropriate relationships with inmates.
Aleesha Bates, 29, and Jodie Wilkes, 27, exchanged thousands of messages with the same inmate during an illicit love triangle at Buckley Hall jail in Rochdale.
The Sun also revealed how caged gangsters are even bragging about paying female officers £20,000 for sex.
