Prison Employee Receives Suspended Sentence for Relationship with Inmate

A court was informed that a prison mathematics teacher, who introduced codeine into the correctional facility for an inmate with whom she was romantically involved, was apprehended after a love letter was found in her handbag. Kelsey Calvert admitted guilt to charges of misconduct in a public office and bringing a prohibited item into prison during her employment at HMP Holme House, located in Stockton-on-Tees. On Thursday, the 28-year-old individual wept in the dock of Teesside Crown Court as she received an eight-month prison sentence, which was suspended for a period of two years. Judge Joanne Kidd informed Calvert, who resides in Ryhope, Sunderland, that she had been “groomed” and had her “head turned by a deeply manipulative criminal”. The court was apprised that Calvert was employed at the category C men’s prison from April to November 2022. Her employment ceased after a search conducted upon her entry to work one day revealed a letter in her handbag indicating a personal relationship with an incarcerated individual. During an interview with the deputy governor, Calvert stated that she and the inmate had exchanged love letters. She further confessed to bringing codeine, which had been prescribed for her father, into the jail because the prisoner claimed to require it. Prosecutor Shaun Dryden informed the court that Calvert reported the prisoner initiated writing letters to her, which she initially declined, but he continued. An inquiry uncovered love letters exchanged between the two individuals in both the prisoner’s cell and Calvert’s residence. Police also discovered seven phone calls between them, which confirmed they maintained a sexual relationship, according to Mr Dryden. Calvert had communicated with the prisoner as one of his approved contacts, utilizing an assumed name. It was stated that during these calls, the inmate also informed Calvert that he was experiencing difficulties and needed to introduce drugs into the prison, apparently to settle a debt. The court was informed that when questioned by police, Calvert stated she had supplied codeine to the prisoner on a single occasion because he was experiencing pain following a tooth extraction. Mr Dryden reported that the defendant stated the prisoner requested her to retrieve a letter from a friend, but she suspected the envelope contained drugs, “so hadn’t done that”. During mitigation, the court was told that Calvert was “mortified by what she was influenced to do” and had been “taken advantage of and manipulated by someone who expressed feelings for her”. Judge Kidd addressed Calvert, stating: “I have listened to the phone calls that passed between you. You loved him and he told you that he loved you, and such was your level of vulnerability… that you wanted to hear what he said.” In addition to the suspended sentence, Calvert was mandated to complete 140 hours of unpaid community service and 20 days of rehabilitation activities. A spokesperson for the Prison Service commented that the “overwhelming majority of people working in prisons are hardworking and honest” and that the Counter-Corruption Unit was “catching more of the small minority who are not”. The BBC North East platform was indicated as available for following on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram, with an email address, northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk, provided for story submissions. The text concluded with a copyright statement for 2024 BBC, reserving all rights, and a disclaimer regarding the BBC’s responsibility for external site content, along with a reference to its external linking policy.