Prison Officer Jailed for Secret Romance with Inmate at HMP Five Wells
Officer Caught in Forbidden Affair
Aimee Duke, 26, a prison officer at HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough, has been locked up for 12 months after admitting misconduct. The officer, from Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Milton Keynes, joined the category C prison in April 2022. But within months, she was caught forming an illicit relationship with a prisoner.
Secret Messages and CCTV Slip-Ups
On 12 August 2022, a routine staff search found a prisoner’s ID number scribbled on a piece of paper inside Duke’s purse. CCTV footage then revealed her sneaking into prisoner wings she wasn’t scheduled to work on. She was seen carrying her own bag into inmate areas—strictly banned—and even entering prisoner cells without any official reason.
Her mobile phone, confiscated at her arrest on 23 September 2022, held revealing texts. One prisoner wrote, “I want us to be together 100%”. Duke responded, “I can’t wait to see you”. The evidence was clear.
Legal Fallout and Sentencing
Duke faced four counts of misconduct in a public office at Northampton Crown Court. On 1 May, she admitted two charges and denied two. Returning to court on 26 August, she was sentenced to a year behind bars for the offences she pleaded guilty to. The other two charges remain on file.
The scandal raises serious concerns about security and staff conduct at HMP Five Wells.