A prison officer has been spared jail after admitting to illegally accessing computer records for two inmates. Cally White, 26, pleaded guilty to unauthorized access of the computer system, a charge she admitted at an earlier hearing.
White, who worked at HMP Berwyn near Wrexham, North Wales, was described by a judge as "extremely foolish" but also "extremely fortunate" to avoid prison. She was given a nine-month suspended sentence, ordered to complete 200 hours of community service, and pay £1,000 towards prosecution costs. She was also required to complete 10 days of rehabilitation.
The court heard that between March and April 2023, White accessed one inmate's prison record approximately 60 times. These records included personal details, offense information, release dates, and case notes. She also accessed a second inmate's records 44 times, which included details of an adjudication following the discovery of illicit items, such as an iPhone, in his cell.
Prosecutors stated that White had no legitimate reason to access these records, as she was not the assigned officer or offender manager for either prisoner. The investigation into her actions began in November 2024 after prison authorities received information suggesting inappropriate relationships with prisoners, including a continued relationship with one inmate after his release.
White began working at HMP Berwyn in May 2023 and had received counter-corruption training. The inmate whose records she accessed most frequently, Ryan Hamid, served time at Berwyn from February 2020 to April 2024. Both Hamid and his associate, David Blackburn, were housed on the same wing between March and April 2023.
Hamid, identified as a drug kingpin, was jailed for eight and a half years in 2020 for conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine. After being recalled to a different prison in September 2024 for breaching his license, White reportedly remained in phone contact with Hamid and his sister, appearing on his list of permitted contacts under the alias 'Sophie Wright.' Recorded calls between them included discussions about her work, shift patterns, other prisoners, and prison staff, including the head of corruption prevention.
During her defense, White's legal representative highlighted her "enormous level of naivety" and stated that she was "deeply ashamed" of her actions. The defense also noted her "previous exemplary character," a degree in criminology, and a Master's degree. She has since secured new employment and plans to pursue further university studies.
The court was told that White pleaded guilty on the basis that she was not in a romantic relationship with Hamid, nor that money paid into her account was facilitated by him or came from Blackburn. The prosecution contested this basis, but a judge ruled it would not affect the sentence.
Recorder John Philpotts, who sentenced White, emphasized that corruption "undermines the whole fabric of the work prisons do" and that deterrence is necessary. He noted the "astonishing" nature of her actions given her educational background and the advantages she had been afforded. Despite this, he decided by a "narrowest of margins" to suspend her sentence, taking into account her otherwise clean record and efforts to rebuild her life.
White is the fifth female prison guard at Berwyn to be sentenced in recent years for inappropriate conduct involving inmates; three of those individuals were jailed.