July 12th 2023.
Olivia Hodgson, a 26-year-old former prison officer, has recently been sentenced to eight months in prison for misconduct in a public office. The scandal comes shortly after 18 female guards at one jail were fired for having affairs with inmates at HMP Berwyn in Wrexham, Wales.
Hodgson was arrested at HMP Garth, the very same prison where she had worked for three years prior. This was after officers raided her home and found a birthday card with the fingerprints of Lavarne Forde-Morgan, a killer inmate, on it.
It is believed that Hodgson had been involved with Forde-Morgan since early 2020, when he was serving a life sentence for murder and possession of firearms. The couple communicated through mobile phones that Hodgson had smuggled into the jail, using different numbers and apps in an attempt to avoid detection. It was not until January 2021 that their affair was exposed, when Forde-Morgan was transferred to another prison and searched, resulting in the recovery of a phone that showed contact with another mobile number – which was linked to Hodgson.
When officers searched Hodgson’s home, they found another mobile phone containing images of the couple, as well as the card addressed to Hodgson from Forde-Morgan. Following the sentence, Det Cons Becky Pearson from the North-West Regional Organised Crime Unit said: “Olivia knew right from wrong and had received adequate corruption training where she would have gained a good understanding of the criminal outcomes should a relationship be entered into with a prisoner. We will continue to take robust action and investigate any offences which we suspect are taking place in our prisons. We want to reassure the honest, dedicated, and hardworking prison staff that we will continue to act against any member of staff who chooses to engage in corrupt activity.”
Forde-Morgan was also sentenced to an additional 18 months in prison for possessing prohibited mobile phones.
Hodgson’s actions demonstrate a clear abuse of her position as a prison officer and the justice system has rightfully taken action against her. The scandal serves as an example to all prison staff of the consequences of such misconduct and it is hoped that it will deter future wrongdoing.
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