A PRISON officer who fell in love with a lag made thousands of pounds smuggling in illegal phones for him – and tipped him off about when cells would be searched.
Emma Johnson, of village Mackworth in Derbyshire, was snared after her phone number was found on a different prisoner’s contraband mobile.
The 25-year-old’s web of deceit quickly unravelled as her messages to lover Marcus Solomon were found.
In one exchange, he asked how much money they were making with their illegal enterprise – before she replied: “Smashing it”, DerbyshireLive reports.
In another message, she urged him to “get grafting and get them sold”.
The pair met when Solomon, 28, was banged up at HMP Sudbury, a cat D prison in Derbyshire.
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Johnson’s bosses eventually became concerned about how much time she was spending with the criminal, and he was moved to another prison.
However, even after that, Johnson developed a close relationship with a second inmate.
A search of that prisoner’s cell revealed a mobile phone, which was seized. Johnson’s number was found on it.
As Johnson was sentenced today, Kate Temple-Mabe, prosecuting, told a court cops found “excessive” communication with Solomon on the defendant’s phone.
“It was evident there was a conspiracy between them and people unknown to convey mobile phones for Mr Solomon to sell inside,” the barrister said.
“Money was going into a bank account belonging to Miss Johnson and there were messages in which she talked of buying and picking up three iPhone 5s and two iPhone 6s.”
In the summer of 2020, the pair discussed how much cash they were making and how many phones and chargers had been sold.
“She said to him, ‘We are smashing it’,” Ms Temple-Mabe said.
“It’s difficult to imagine a more fundamental breach of duty.”
Johnson and Solomon both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to convey mobile phones into prison. She also admitted a money laundering charge.
Brett Weaver, acting for Johnson, said: “To a large extent she was blinded what she believed was a genuine relationship with Mr Solomon.
“She did not stop to think about the consequences.”
He said there was an “element of burying her head in the sand”.
After the messages were found, Johnson “lost her job, found work in a school and lost that job when she pleaded guilty to these charges!, Mr Weaver said.
“She now works selling cars and lives at home with her mother, who she describes as being ‘distraught’.”
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A lawyer acting for Solomon, of Northfield in Birmingham, said he now has a new partner, a baby and another child on the way early next year.
Sentencing Johnson to 15 months in prison, and Solomon to 13 months, Judge Jonathan Bennett said: “I accept you fell in love with your co-conspirator but prison officers do their public service with pride and when that trust is fundamentally abused like this it is essential those found guilty receive a punishment to deter others.”
