TWO female prison workers have admitted having an illicit relationship with the same inmate at the same time.
Aleesha Bates, 29, and Jodie Wilkes, 27, both got involved with Michael Cronshaw while working at HMP Buckley Hall in Rochdale.
The pair admitted misconduct in public office when they appeared at Bolton Crown Court today.
Bates first got into a relationship with Cronshaw in December 2019 while she was working as a prison officer.
Wilkes then began seeing the inmate in April 2020, with the pair both involved with him at the same time for two months.
She was an operational support grade (OSG), which involves “supporting the smooth and safe running of the prison”.
This means contact with prisoners tends to be limited.
Cronshaw is charged with two counts of intentionally encouraging/assisting the commission on an indictable offence – namely misconduct in public office.
He allegedly did so by engaging in a relationship and possessing an unauthorised mobile inside a prison.
The prisoner was due to appear at court today but has been injured in a road traffic collision.
He will instead appear on February 1 for a plea hearing, the court was told.
Bates and Wilkes were bailed ahead of sentencing on February 13.
It comes after prison officer Ruth Shmylo was cleared of misconduct in a public office following a trial.
She admitted she had phone sex with lag Harri Pullen but insisted she told him to “stop”.
After she was found not guilty, it could be revealed that love rat Pullen first had an illicit affair with nurse Elyse Hibbs.
She was jailed in October last year over her “flirtatious” phone calls with the lag.
