Ex-Prison Officers Face Jail Over Prisoner Romance Scandal
Two former prison officers from Dorset and Southwick now face the hammer if found guilty of misconduct for an illicit relationship with a prisoner at Winchester Prison.
Who Are They?
- Barbara Dyer, 26, from Littlemoor Avenue, Bournemouth, once a member of the National Offender Management Service.
- Matthew Pritchard, an ex-Regiment Gunner and Rapier Operator who served tours in the Falkland Islands, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait, living in High Street, Southwick.
What Are They Accused Of?
Both stand charged with wilful misconduct for forming an improper relationship with a prisoner named Powell. Pritchard faces additional accusations for smuggling in pictures, letters, and women’s underwear intended for the prisoner.
“Between March and April 2017 at Winchester Prison, acting as public officers, both wilfully and without excuse abused the public’s trust through inappropriate conduct with a prisoner,” prosecutors said.
The Legal Fallout
The pair will face trial later this year at Winchester Crown Court. They have been charged under Common Law for wilfully neglecting their duty and misconduct in public office. Both were released on bail, expected back in court by November.
This case underlines the strict rules prison officers must follow—and the serious consequences when those rules are broken.
