A FEMALE prison officer has admitted having sex with an inmate who was serving life for murder.
Kerianne Stephens, 26, had a four-month affair with Louis Tate while working at HMP Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.
Appearing at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday, she admitted having a sexual relationship with Tate at the category B jail between September 2018 and January 2019 and pleaded guilty to a charge of misconduct in public office.
But she denied sending and receiving text messages and calls with Tate via an illicitly-held mobile phone.
Stephens now faces a trial after Judge Philip Statman was told the prosecution did not accept the not guilty plea.
But due to the pandemic and an existing backlog of cases, it could not be listed until August 2 next year.
The redhead, wearing a black dress and tights with her hair tied in a ponytail, sat in the dock just feet away from Tate, 34, who admitted the mobile phone offence.
Prosecutor Maria Karaiskos said calls or texts were made ‘over a number of weeks’ with Stephens allegedly in the prison car park and ‘on many occasions’ while off-duty.
Tate, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2010, was said to have had the mobile in his single cell.
Stephens, of Aylesford, Kent, was released on unconditional bail until a further hearing on October 19.
Tate, who is currently in custody at category C The Mount Prison in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, is expected to attend the same hearing.
