Prison officer ‘had affair with inmate’ (From York Press)

Prison officer Rebecca King ‘had affair with inmate’

9:45am Monday 24th September 2012 in News By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter

A PRISON officer has appeared in court over allegations she had an improper relationship with an inmate at jails near Wetherby and in the Wolds.

Rebecca King, 32,  from Selby , is alleged to have had a six-year affair with convict David Turnbull, 42, which began while he was inside and continued after he was released – and even after he was re-arrested and sent to a different prison on drugs charges.

He is serving a sentence of nearly nine years for his part in a large-scale drugs ring based on Teesside.

Single mother King appeared at Teesside Crown Court for a brief preliminary hearing, did not enter any pleas, and was given bail by Judge Simon Bourne-Arton to return to court for a plea and case management hearing on October 16.

The charges on the indictment are misconduct in a public office, concealing criminal property, converting criminal property and possessing criminal property.

It is alleged she hid £9,490 belonging to Turnbull and had a further £10,190 knowing or suspecting it was the proceeds of her alleged lover’s crimes.

Prosecutors say her “intimate relationship” with Turnbull started when he was an inmate at HMP Wealstun, near Wetherby and Everthorpe, near Market Weighton and she was a senior prison officer.

She is accused of wilfully misconducting herself between August 2006 and January this year, by which time Turnbull was on remand at Holme House Prison, Stockton.

The allegations include continuing the relationship after his release, receiving and concealing substantial amounts of cash from him and maintaining telephone contact.

It is also claimed that she “neglected to report his use of a mobile phone” behind bars, which is in breach of prison regulations.