Prison officer who had phone sex with inmates is jailed

A prison officer who engaged in phone sex and sent suggestive photos to two inmates has been jailed for misconduct in public office.

Emma Webster, 34, was caught 'sexting' two male inmates while serving as a guard at HMP Lincoln between August and November last year.

A court heard she “pleasured herself” during one phone call with prisoner Jimmy Bennet and in other exchanges, she promised to send inmate Bradley Bramwell "better pictures".

Mum-of-two Webster also professed her love for Bennet during one phone call and called him her boyfriend.

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Webster, of Lincoln, was charged with misconduct in public office which she pleaded guilty to at a previous hearing.

On Wednesday, she was jailed for 14 months at Lincoln Crown Court.

Webster was caught when both prisoners added an “Emma Smith” to their list of phone contacts on the outside and suspicious prison bosses began to listen in.

The court heard Emma Smith’s details matched Webster – such as her birthday.

They recorded 17 phone calls between Webster and Bramwell and a further 75 calls with Bennet during which she engaged in phone sex with them both.

She had first started chatting to Bramwell over the phone on 18 August last year where things soon became sexual.

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Lauren Fisher, prosecuting, said: “In total there were 17 phone calls made between Emma Webster and inmate Mr Bramwell between August 18, 2021 and October 17 that year.

“The first conversation is on August 18, 2021. He says ‘what are you doing?’ and she says ‘I’m out and about’.

“He says ‘what am I ringing you up for then, I thought we were going to get active?’

“He tells her to ‘go to a bush or a park bench and get on it’.

“She says ‘I said I’d send you some pictures anyway.’

He says, 'what you're sending me some more pictures? Ahh good.' She says 'better ones.'

“He says 'send me some. Well you know what you're doing anyway.' She says 'have you showed anyone?' he says 'nah'.

Ms Fisher said it appeared the relationship between the two began to change after 5 October when the two argued.

Just eight days later Webster moved to a different wing in HMP Lincoln and started chatting with Jimmy Bennet.

Ms Fisher added: “Whilst Miss Webster was working night shifts another prisoner, Jimmy Bennet, appeared to be pressing his cell buzzer more frequently."

Neil Sands, defending, said her client had acted out of character following the breakdown of a relationship.

Sentencing, Judge Sjolin Knight told Webster she had “chased the attention” rather than being manipulated by the pair.

She said: “You communicated with them via letters and calls and smuggling articles into prison.”

She added: “You provided him with the name Emma Smith, your cousin's address to send items to and got a pay-as-you-go phone to communicate with him.”

Judge Knight said there was never any evidence of any physical contact between Webster and the prisoners.