A UK prison officer has appeared in court accused of forming an illicit relationship with an inmate, allegedly providing him with her phone number, gifts, and details about staff duty rotas. Jade Gittins, 36, faces a charge of misconduct in a public office related to alleged events in 2023 at HMP Holme House, a category C men's prison in Stockton-on-Tees.
Gittins appeared at Teesside Magistrates' Court accompanied by her fiancé, Mathew Bult. She spoke only to confirm her personal details. The district judge deemed the case serious enough to be heard at the Crown Court, with Gittins granted unconditional bail until her next appearance on December 4.
The charge states Gittins is alleged to have misconducted herself "wilfully and without reasonable excuse or justification," which "amounted to an abuse of the public's trust." Specifics of the alleged misconduct include entering into a relationship with a prisoner, providing her personal mobile number, giving gifts, and discussing colleagues' shift patterns.
Gittins' court appearance comes amid broader concerns about inappropriate relationships between prison staff and inmates in the UK. Since 2020, over 50 female officers have been convicted for such offenses. Recent cases cited include a custody officer jailed for a relationship with a drug dealer involving thousands of illicit messages and two officers sentenced for becoming romantically involved with inmate brothers.
Experts suggest that a high turnover of inexperienced staff may be contributing to these incidents. A parliamentary research briefing indicated that a third of prison officers had less than three years' service at the beginning of the year. The HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, has suggested that inadequate vetting and training can make new recruits vulnerable to exploitation by inmates who identify and target them.
A Prison Service spokesperson stated that while the majority of staff are honest and hard-working, measures are in place to catch and address the minority who break the rules.