The prison officer Rachel Barnes has been jailed for having an inappropriate relationship with an in HMP Belmarsh (Picture: Rex Features)

A HMP Belmarsh prison officer who kept going missing during her shifts has been jailed for having an inappropriate relationship with a serving prisoner.

Rachel Barnes, 29, of Orpington, Kent, became involved with Sebastian Vasell, 28, and sent him texts of a ‘sexual nature’ .

Croydon Crown Court heard that suspicions were raised when Barnes started going missing for extended periods on duty at the prison in Thamesmead, south east London.

When challenged by management and told there was CCTV of her when she was missing, Barnes became emotional and confessed to the affair with Vasell.


A search of Barnes’ car and locker found her phone which contained messages from Vasell.



Vasell, who was found with two prohibited phones in his cell, was serving time for a serious firearm offence.

On Thursday, Barnes was jailed for ten months after being charged with misconduct in a prison office, while Vasell was sentenced to six months concurrent on charges of sending messages from a prison unauthorised.

The charges will be consecutive to the sentence he is currently serving,

Preetpaul Dhillon, from the CPS, said: ‘Barnes was working in a high security prison in a position of paid employment amongst dangerous lawbreakers. Vassell was an offender serving a sentence for serious firearm offences.

‘On one occasion when Barnes was on duty, she was in a cell for 19 minutes engaging in inappropriate behaviour with Vassell.

‘She hid from her colleague when he checked the cell on two occasions, clearly showing she recognised what she was doing was wrong.

‘However, this was not a one-off incident.

‘Rather, it was a pattern of behaviour in which she allowed a prisoner to have the use of a mobile phone and sent him repeated messages, some of which were of a sexual nature.

‘Barnes’ behaviour clearly falls into the category of willful misconduct, and to such a degree that it amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust.

‘She will now have to face the consequences of her actions in relation to future employment opportunities.’

Notorious prisoners to have served time at Belmarsh jail include Soham murder Ian Huntley and hate preacher Abu Hamza.

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