A probation officer has admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with an inmate at one of the UK's most secure prisons, HMP Belmarsh.
Guilty Plea to Serious Misconduct
Bethany Dent-Reynolds, aged 27, pleaded guilty to a single charge of misconduct in a public office at Woolwich Crown Court. The charge related to an inappropriate relationship with prisoner Kieran Robinson that took place between February 15 and May 3, 2024.
The misconduct charge also encompassed her causing software, namely the Ndelius Record system, to perform a function with the intent to secure unauthorised access to computer-held data.
Charges Dropped and Filed
The court heard that Dent-Reynolds, from Forest Hill in southeast London, denied two additional charges. One alleged a further inappropriate relationship within a slightly different timeframe, from March 1 to April 20, 2024; this charge was dropped by the prosecution.
A third charge, brought under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, alleged she caused a computer to perform a function to secure unauthorised access to a program or data. The judge ordered this charge to lie on file.
Sentencing Awaited for Officer
Dent-Reynolds was granted unconditional bail following her guilty plea. She is scheduled to return to Woolwich Crown Court for sentencing on February 6 next year.
The case has drawn attention to conduct within the high-security facility, which houses several notorious inmates. HMP Belmarsh in Woolwich is known for holding high-profile prisoners, including Southport killer Axel Rudakubana and Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi.
The breach of trust involved in a probation officer engaging with a prisoner in this manner represents a serious failure of professional standards, with the legal process now moving towards its conclusion.
