By Gwurld4026 
Flirtatious Messages Lead to Guard’s Imprisonment
In February 2025, 29-year-old prison officer Toni Cole from Wellingborough was sentenced to 12 months in prison after admitting to misconduct in public office. While employed at HMP Five Wells, Cole exchanged 4,369 intimate messages and participated in 18 video calls with an inmate between December 9, 2022, and January 25, 2023.
Their interactions included physical contact, such as kissing and sitting on the inmate’s lap. Alarmingly, Cole also offered to provide unauthorized advance notice of cell searches. This case highlights ongoing concerns about inappropriate relationships between prison staff and inmates, which compromise institutional security and integrity.