A FEMALE prison officer had “intimate relationships” with inmates and smuggled drugs into jail, a court has heard.
Kayleigh Robson, 29, has been accused of establishing inappropriate relationships with prisoners at HMP Peterborough, over a nine-month period.
The former prison warden appeared at Cambridge Crown Court charged with misconduct in a public office.
She is also accused of smuggling cannabis and tobacco into the Category B prison, as well as allegedly being involved in money laundering.
Robson has entered a not guilty plea to all the charges.
The mother-of-one from Grantham, Lincs, only spoke to confirm her name, date of birth and pleas at the short hearing.
Police allege she “wilfully misconducted herself” in public office by “having intimate relationships with prisoners” between June 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021.
Over the period between July 23, 2020, and April 18, 2021, she also allegedly conspired to smuggle cannabis and tobacco into the prison and allegedly became “concerned” in money laundering arrangements, where bank transfers were made.
In court documents, the full misconduct charge alleges: “At Peterborough while acting as a public officer, namely prison officer, 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 having intimate relationships with prisoners.”
She appeared in court alongside three male co-accused, with two others booked to appear in court during later hearings.
The three men – Adam Hussain, 28, Ashley Neal, 30, and Roy Shalliker, 67 – all denied conspiring to bring in contraband to HMP Peterborough.
Hussain and Neal also pleaded not guilty to the money laundering offence.
Robson and the trio of men were granted bail, with a two-week trial booked in for April 2027 at the Huntingdon Crown Court.
On Monday, Judge Philip Grey apologised to the defendants.
“I am sorry that it is so far in the future,” he said.
“As you know, the courts have an enormous backlog, and that is simply the first date on which we can accommodate a two week trial.”
Judge Grey warned the co-accused what would happen if they failed to attend the trial.
“First of all, that would be an offence in its own right for which you could go to prison, and a warrant would certainly be issued for your arrest,” he said.
“Secondly, the trial may very well go ahead in your absence if you simply do not attend court.
“If that happens, the jury could be told that you’ve chosen not to come back to court, your lawyers might have to withdraw from representing you, and you would lose the right to give evidence in your own defence.”
He urged them to stay in contact with their legal teams and to attend the Huntingdon Law Courts on April 19 next year.
