Overview
- Melissa Murphy was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court to eight months in prison for misconduct in public office and will be supervised for 12 months after release.
- Her conduct came to light on December 8, 2023, when a colleague found her alone with the prisoner in a locked room and noted she appeared flustered.
- Searches uncovered explicit letters and a photo linking her to the inmate, plus a SIM card or packaging, with correspondence indicating encouragement to enable private contact; prosecutors did not allege physical intimacy and she denied it.
- Murphy was arrested on December 11, 2023, dismissed from her tutor role at HMP Chelmsford, and later pleaded guilty to the charge.
- Judge Jamie Sawyer said only immediate custody was appropriate and indicated she would serve up to 40% in custody, while Essex Police described the case as an abuse of trust investigated with prison security staff.