31-Year-Old Ex-Prison Officer Expecting Inmate's Baby After Secret Affair—But Escapes Jail Time

A FORMER prison officer fell pregnant with an inmate’s baby after they embarked on an illicit relationship – but has avoided jail.

Sarah Barnett was working at Category D lock up HMP Sudbury in at the time of the fling with Scott Taylor.

Sarah Barnett got pregnant with an inmate’s babyCredit: Facebook

The 31-year-old spent two nights with the lag after he was temporarily freed on overnight release in August 2023, Mail Online reports.

Taylor stayed at her home following his full release – but remained with Barnett despite being recalled back to jail in September 2023.

He was finally arrested the following month – by which point Barnett was already six weeks pregnant with his child.

The former officer pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office but avoided a jail term.

Barnett was instead handed a two-year community order and told she must attend 25 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.

Sentencing, Judge Shaun Smith said: “While initially it was my view that this is something so serious that a custodial sentence has to be imposed, a court has to be very aware at the end of the day that when it comes down to what the likely length of that sentence might be, as to whether or not in all those circumstances, the best course of action is to impose a community order.

“You have complex needs and issues that need addressing.”

Derby Crown heard Barnett was working in a “trainer/supervisor/instructor role” at the time of the offending.

Her role involved supervising prisoners at the jail and working with inmates.

Prosecutor Philip Cowburn said: “That varied from working in the industrial cleaning department, the gardens, and the carpentry workshop.

“Prior to her suspension, she was mainly stationed in the industrial cleaning workshop where she had the responsibility of supervising groups of prisoners who would deep clean areas around the establishment.”

The court heard Barnett was supervising Taylor between July 24 and August 8, 2023.

On August 12, he was freed on resettlement overnight release, which allows inmates to stay at their future release address for up to four nights.

He was fully released on August 23 but recalled on September 15 for unknown reasons.

Mr Cowburn said: “At that time, he was staying with the defendant and remained unlawfully at large within her address until he was arrested on October 3.

“When Scott Taylor was arrested, this defendant drove away from the address and was stopped by officers.

“At that stage, she denied she was in a relationship with him, and denied knowing he was at her address.

“She returned to her address and disclosed at that stage she was six weeks pregnant with his child.”

Barnett was arrested and admitted in a prepared statement she was in a relationship with Taylor and said she knew about his recall.

She claimed she encouraged Taylor to hand himself in and accepted it was “frowned upon” to have a fling with a former serving prisoner.

Barnett also told police she was struggling with her mental health.

The court heard that November, Barnett told the custodial manager at HMP Sudbury that she had lost the baby the couple were expecting together.

But she is now pregnant again with Taylor’s child – although the couple have since separated.

Mark Nicholls, defending, said Barnett had suffered with difficulties since the age of eight.

He also told the court that while working in the prison service, she had provided a document to bosses to say she wasn’t fit to work.

Judge Smith said he accepted she had a “lack of support” at work in his sentencing remarks.

He continued: “Over a period of 11 days in August 2023, you threw away your good character and your job which you had been doing for six years because when a prisoner who you were familiar with was allowed out on pre-release release, you allowed him – when he was still technically a prisoner – to stay with you, and you had a relationship with him.

“It is restricted in a way which had no impact on other prisoners, or the smooth running of the prison.

“When one takes into account your mental health at the time, which is not only well-chronicled but in writing and there for the prison to see and accommodate, they did the opposite, and you were put in situations where you were clearly inexperienced and untrained.”

Barnett pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public officeCredit: Facebook She avoided a prison sentenceCredit: Facebook