Prison officer accused of having sex with an inmate on video appears in court

A prison officer allegedly filmed having sex with an inmate in a cell has appeared in court charged with misconduct in public office.

Linda De Sousa Abreu, 30, of Fulham, south-west London, was charged after a video of the alleged activity was shared on social media.

Ms De Sousa Abreu appeared at Uxbridge magistrates’ court on Monday for a brief hearing.

A police investigation was launched on Friday after officers were made aware of a video said to have been filmed inside HMP Wandsworth in south London.

An arrest was made later that day and Ms De Sousa Abreu was charged with misconduct in public office on Saturday, police added.

The charge against her alleges that between June 26 and 28, while acting as a public officer, namely an HMP Wandsworth prison officer, “you wilfully and without reasonable excuse or justification misconducted yourself in a way which amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust in the office holder by engaging in a sexual act with a prisoner in a prison cell”.

Niamh McDonagh, prosecuting, asked that Ms De Sousa Abreu’s Portuguese passport remain in police possession and that she not be allowed to apply for any international travel documents.

Magistrate Julie Cook, who granted Ms De Sousa Abreu conditional bail, barred her from entering any UK travel ports and imposed an electronically monitored curfew.

Addressing Ms De Sousa Abreu, who wore a prison-issue grey tracksuit, the magistrate said: “This matter before us today is indictable only and has to be heard at the crown court.”

Ms De Sousa Abreu was described by Gayathri Yogarajah, her lawyer, as a “young mother” and “a person of good character”.

She will next appear at Isleworth Crown Court on July 29 for a plea and trial preparation hearing.