A former prison officer has been slapped with misconduct charges after reportedly having an illicit relationship with a prisoner at HMP Dovegate in Staffordshire. The case marks the latest in a string of similar scandals rocking UK jails.
Sarah Barnett faces court over prison scandal
Sarah Barnett, 31, appeared at Derby Magistrates’ Court this week. The charges relate to alleged misconduct between 11 and 24 August 2023 while she was working at the Category B prison near Uttoxeter.
According to court papers, Barnett is accused of wilful neglect of duty by engaging in a personal relationship with a serving inmate. She’s due back in Derby Crown Court on 6 November for her next hearing.
Since leaving the prison service, Barnett now runs a beauty therapy business from her home in Rugeley, Staffordshire, specialising in brow and lash treatments.
Twin cases highlight prison corruption crisis
The Barnett case isn’t isolated. Another ex-HMP Dovegate officer, Heather Pinchbeck, 28, pleaded guilty to similar misconduct earlier this year. Pinchbeck admitted to making illicit phone calls to inmate Joseph Hardy, who is serving 14 years for a vicious machete attack.
Pinchbeck was granted conditional bail and is awaiting sentencing next January. Hardy himself recently got an eight-month sentence for illegal communications with a staff member and possessing a mobile phone behind bars.
These twin cases are just the tip of the iceberg in a growing scandal that’s shaking the UK prison system to its core. Female staff are disproportionately involved in misconduct allegations, authorities reveal.
Prisons under pressure as staffing crisis fuels scandals
Detective Chief Inspector Chris McClellan warned such affairs “greatly undermine and destabilise the prison regime.” Experts blame a rapid rise in inexperienced officers — over half now have less than five years on the job — and chronic understaffing.
Former officer Neil Samworth pulled no punches, saying the situation has “completely got out of control.” He cited weak training and savvy prisoner manipulation as key factors behind the epidemic of forbidden relationships.
The Prison Officers’ Association backed the majority of staff, with president Andrea Albutt praising thousands of female officers for their dedication and urging the public not to judge the whole service by “the odd bad apple.”
Crackdown underway as HMP Dovegate faces sharp scrutiny
HMP Dovegate, run by private firm Serco, is no stranger to problems. A January 2024 inspection exposed rising violence and drug use, blamed partly on prisoner boredom. A new action plan aims to tackle the issues.
Serco manages five prisons holding over 4,500 inmates across England and Wales, but its contract at Dovegate expires in July 2026, with the Ministry of Justice currently re-tendering operations.
The government is beefing up counter-corruption measures, tightening staff vetting, and promising zero tolerance for misconduct. Misconduct in public office carries serious penalties, including potential life sentences depending on the case.
The Barnett saga underlines the urgent need to restore trust and clamp down on illicit antics behind bars. Expect more updates as authorities ramp up efforts to clean up UK prisons.
