London - A woman warder at a prison dubbed ‘Britain’s cushiest jail’ appeared in court yesterday accused of an "inappropriate" four-month relationship with an inmate.
Ayshea Gunn, 27, is accused of misconduct in a public office while working at Berwyn prison near Wrexham, North Wales. She allegedly had an improper relationship with Khuram Razaq, 29, between July 31 and November 20 last year.
Gunn entered no formal plea before magistrates in Mold and spoke only to confirm her name, address and date of birth. But her lawyer Andrew Egerton said she would be pleading guilty and requested a pre-sentence report.
No further details of the alleged relationship were outlined by prosecutor Robert Blakemore during the five-minute hearing.
Gunn, of Johnstown, Wrexham, was granted bail to appear at Mold Crown Court next month. Razaq will appear by video link before Wrexham magistrates tomorrow charged with possessing an electronic device.
HMP Berwyn is a £212million super-prison holding about 2 000 men, making it the largest in the country.
When it opened in 2017 it emerged that prisoners are given telephones so they can say goodnight to their children, that they are held in rooms, not cells, and that warders have to knock before entering. Inmates also have laptops, although they do not have access to the internet.
A wall in the jail has been decorated with a copy of a mural by the artist Banksy, depicting a rioter throwing a bunch of flowers.
An inspection report earlier this year revealed inmates can spend up to £250 a week on luxuries but warned such large sums created a risk of bullying and extortion among prisoners – dubbed ‘taxing’.