Female prison officer, 27, had a steamy affair with a 20 year old prisoner

A female prison officer has has been spared jail after having an affair with an inmate at an institution for young offenders.

Stacey Sutherland and prisoner Leon Shooter, 20, would kiss and cuddle inside a cleaning cupboard at HMP Deerbolt, Teesside Crown Court was told.

The 27-year-old, who became a prison officer in 2017, had also previously engaged in a relationship with a fellow prison officer after her marriage broke down.

Rachel Masters, prosecuting, told the court how the relationship between Leon and Sutherland came to light when a fellow prison officer entered the female toilet.

She spotted paperwork on top of Sutherland’s bag and suspected it was a love letter.

Ms Masters said the prison call record was checked and it was discovered that a woman Leon had been talking to a called ‘Sophie Jackson’ was in fact Sutherland.

Two phone calls and a number of letters of a sexual nature were discovered between Sutherland and Leon, who worked as a cleaner in the jail.