Rebecca Green, a former prison warden at HMP Whitemoor, has been sentenced to 16 months in prison for willful misconduct in public office. The 29-year-old admitted to having a sexual relationship with John Otugade, a convicted murderer serving a minimum 25-year sentence.
The illicit relationship began in October 2022 at the maximum-security prison in Cambridgeshire, England, which houses some of the UK's most violent criminals. Initially, Green denied the affair, but investigators found messages confirming the relationship on her phone.
Further investigation revealed that Otugade had obtained a smuggled phone, on which Green was listed as his "partner" under an approved contacts list. Detective Constable Tom Adams, who led the investigation for Cambridgeshire Constabulary, stated that Green's actions represented a significant breach of her responsibilities. He emphasized that her conduct failed to consider the potential impact on the security and safety of staff and prisoners, and undermined the work of the prison.
"This sentence shows how seriously the police and courts take such breaches," Adams said.
Green, who is from Lincolnshire, pleaded guilty to the misconduct charge and received her sentence last Wednesday. HMP Whitemoor is known for holding inmates convicted of serious crimes.