04 January 2023 , 21:24
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A UK prison where prisoners are allowed to have phones in their rooms and their own laptops has seen three female staff members jailed for relationships with inmates.
Prison guards Jennifer Gavan, 27, Ayshea Gunn, 27, and Emily Watson, 26, have all been jailed for having inappropriate romantic relationships with inmates while working at the HMP Berwyn in Wrexham, Wales.
The £250million super prison houses Category C adult male offenders, which are those who cannot be trusted in open settings but are unlikely to escape.
HMP Berwyn is the largest prison in the country and was previously dubbed the "UK's cushiest jail" by conservative MP Philip Hollobone.
Category C prisons are also training and resettlement prisons, where they provide inmates with the opportunity to develop their own skills so they can find work and resettle back into the community on release.
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Category C prisons are also training and resettlement prisons (Getty Images)HMP Berwyn allows inmates to access a wide range of educational tools and resources.
They are also given a full-size sports hall, weights, fitness rooms, and outdoor areas to practice sports.
Inmates can also contact friends and family with phones in their rooms, but the phones can't accept incoming calls, MailOnline reported.
The HMP Berwyn website reads: "Based on a campus design, at HMP Berwyn's centre is an industry building housing 12 workshops where men make products such as furniture, or work in the on-site call centre or DHL distribution centre.
"Individuals can earn qualifications in areas such as manufacturing operations and customer service, while working.
HMP Berwyn allows inmates to access a wide range of educational tools and resources (Getty Images)"A state-of-the-art resettlement hub provides an opportunity for individuals to meet work coaches and access training to prepare them for employment. Training in a variety of trades and professions including bricklaying, joinery, plastering and industrial cleaning is available.
"Plus, men have access to a range of vocational qualifications such as digital media, business enterprise, and information and communications technology (ICT).
"HMP Berwyn's men also have access to a broad programme of learning opportunities – from basic skills such as literacy, Welsh and numeracy, to vocational qualifications and higher learning."
HMP Berwyn is the largest prison in the UK (Getty Images)Prisoners can also send emails, which are also monitored by staff - and they can even attach images for a fee.
In order to do so, each prisoner is given a laptop for making applications, ordering things from the canteen, and booking in visits with family and friends.
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The laptops also give inmates access to a hub with educational materials, news, and entertainment.
Prisoners are reportedly even rewarded for good behaviour by being given the keys to their own cells, giving them the power to lock their doors for more privacy.
Jennifer Gavan pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office (WALES NEWS SERVICE)A Prison Service spokesperson told the paper: "These keys can only be used to stop other prisoners getting into cells.
"They cannot be used to unlock cells when locked by staff and there is no requirement for staff to knock before entering."
Meanwhile phone calls made by prisoners can only be made to a pre-approved list of people and officers are able to listen to the calls.
Emily Watson was jailed for performing a sex act on an inmate (WALES NEWS SERVICE)
John McGee was serving eight years for death by dangerous driving (WALES NEWS SERVICE)It comes after three female prison guards were separately jailed for having inappropriate sexual relationships with inmates.
Jennifer Gavan pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office between April and July 2020 after being accused of having an inappropriate relationship with prisoner Alex Coxon, now 25.
Meanwhile, Ayshea Gunn was also handed a prison sentence after she entered into a sexual relationship with Khuram Razaq, 29, in 2019, and Emily Watson was similarly jailed that year for performing a sex act on John McGee in his cell on Christmas Day.
Ayshea Gunn was jailed in 2019 (WALES NEWS SERVICE)
Khuram Razaq was described as 'dangerous' (WALES NEWS SERVICE)A Prison Service spokesperson told The Mirror: “The overwhelming majority of Prison Service staff are hardworking and dedicated and we will not hesitate to punish those who break the rules.
“Over 500 members of staff at HMP Berwyn have undertaken corruption prevention training in the last 18 months and our enhanced security is protecting the prison against attempts to smuggle illicit items inside.”