Linda De Sousa Abreu, 30, was jailed for 15 months after a video was shared on social media showing a prison officer having sex with an inmate while on duty at a London prison
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Judge sentences prison officer for having intercouse with an inmate
A married prison officer who was caught having sex with an inmate on camera was slammed by a judge in court as he jailed her for 15 months.
Linda De Sousa Abreu, 30, pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office at Isleworth Crown Court in July last year after a video was shared on social media showing a prison officer having sex with an inmate while on duty at HMP Wandsworth in south London. The shocking clip, which quickly went viral, captured the woman clad in uniform, initially engaging in what appears to be a sex act with the criminal.
It then shows her having sex with the prisoner while his cellmate films on a mobile phone in the Category B clink. The prisoner filming pans the camera around momentarily and, grinning, says: “This is how we roll in Wandsworth.”
In court, De Sousa Abreu was told she would serve half her time in custody and the rest on licence for the offence committed between June 26-28 last year. And sentencing her to 15 months this week, Judge Martin Edmunds KC told the mum: “From what I know about you, you were certainly not naïve about the media or social media.”
He continued: “It must have been obvious that the recording would be shown around and shared, at least amongst prisoners at Wandsworth where it would do the most harm. Whether you intended it or not, the fact is that the video went viral, and caused great harm. Many offenders do not intend the harm that their offending causes, but they nevertheless bear responsibility for it.
“You engaged in sexual activity with a prisoner. That compromised your role as an officer, and was misconduct which undermines discipline within the prison, and puts fellow officers at increased risk. You knew that conduct was forbidden and forbidden for good reason.”
In a prepared statement written by De Sousa Abreu following her arrest, she claimed she was “terrified for her own safety” prior to the offences. She said: “I thought if I didn’t go along with it, they [the prisoners] would have both raped me and there was no guard on the landing. All the prisoners were out on the third landing, no-one was banged up, it was very loud and everyone was out. I was too scared to reach for my whistle and blow it – no-one would have heard, they would have seriously assaulted me if I’d tried to get the whistle. At all times I was acting under duress.”
Eloise Marshall KC, prosecuting on Monday, said this account had since been proved to be “entirely false” and that De Sousa Abreu had “never made any complaints to the prison about any incidents involving her”. She continued: “The crown say there is premeditation and clearly some planning. She had to make sure she would be on the wing alone with him in order to do this, she also arranged for (the second prisoner) to be present to keep watch while it went on.
“We say the act was undoubtedly deliberate and intentional in terms of planning . [It was] an intentional breach of her duties as a prison officer. She had the necessary training and knew what her duties were and was aware she had to maintain a professional relationship with the prisoners.
“She has undermined the authority of all prison staff – she specifically and severely undermined the positive effect that a female officer can have in male environment in a male prison, and how a female officer may be perceived. [She also] undermined the trust of prisoners and the integrity of the staff.”
Rajiv Menon, KC, defending, said Abreu has “taken full responsibility for her actions”.
