Prison officer told inmate 'I'm literally praying to have your babies', court hears

A prison officer told an inmate "I'm literally praying to have your babies" and she smuggled contraband materials into jail for him, a court has heard.

Charlotte Winstanley, 27, was in a "romantic and intimate" relationship with gang member Jabhari Blair, 30, for three years, Sheffield Crown Court was told.

The judge, Jeremy Richardson KC, described it as "arguably the worst case" of a prison officer relationship with an inmate he had ever dealt with.

Winstanley smuggled a mobile phone into HMP Lindholme, near Doncaster, over which they sent intimate photos and videos, the court heard.

In texts read to the court on Friday, the pair described Mondays as their "date nights".

What did the messages say?

One message from the prison officer to the inmate read: "I'm literally praying to have your babies."

Another from Winstanley said: "Life starts now, baby. Every sacrifice I make I do so I can be with you."

A third read: "I love my job but I love you more."

One message from Blair indicated that he "can't wait to give Miss Winstanley a beautiful baby", prosecutor Aaron Dinnes told the judge.

Prison cameras also picked up intimate moments of them touching and disappearing together into rooms, the court heard.

'Link to outside'

Winstanley acted as Blair's "link to outside", with investigators finding a link he provided to the Argos website, detailing items he wanted smuggling into prison, and she even visited his mother at her home in Leeds, said the prosecutor.

Mr Dinnes said Winstanley tipped off Blair about prisoner movements, other inmates' healthcare and a search of his own cell.

This was particularly serious because Blair belonged to an organised crime group who was jailed for 12-and-a-half years for violence in 2014, Mr Dinnes told the court.

He said Blair pledged to use his prison contacts to make sure Winstanley would "remain protected" and had "told her that somebody was ready to fight immediately, if necessary".

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The court heard how Winstanley only finished her training as a prison officer in April 2022 but had worked in the prison before this as an operational support officer.

Part of her training had specifically focused on relationships and corruption, the court heard.

'Recipe for disaster'

Khadim Al'Hassan, defending Winstanley, told the judge his client was only 22 when she began work at the prison and Blair was her first "boyfriend" since she was a teenager.

He said her lack of maturity and life experience was a "recipe for disaster".

Judge Jeremy Richardson KC told Winstanley and Blair: "This is arguably the worst case of its kind I have personally dealt with.

"It must be immediate custody but I'm not sure I should rush to judgment."

When will pair be sentenced?

The judge said he would consider the case before sentencing the pair on Monday.

Winstanley cried in the dock as the judge said to her: "For a prison officer, young or old, to have conducted a sexual affair with a prisoner is bad enough.

"For it to be over a prolonged period of time worsens the matter.

"And, then, to be a party to smuggling in various items and to brazen it out when prison officials raise issues and give you an opportunity to confess - and it gets worse."

He told Blair he had "corrupted a prison officer" and this was "about as bad as it gets".

The judge remanded both defendants in custody.

Winstanley, of Coronation Road, Doncaster, has admitted misconduct in public office and transmitting a photograph from inside a prison.

Blair, who is a serving prisoner but formerly from Leeds, has admitted possessing cannabis and prohibited items, namely a phone and a USB stick.

(c) Sky News 2026: Prison officer told inmate 'I'm literally praying to have your babies', court hears