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Nurse jailed for
sex with rapist
Andrew McCaren/Ross Parry Picture shows prison officers Karen Cosford, 47,sentenced to a three year prison term, one of five prison officers sentenced at Bradford Crown Court following Cosfords affair with convicted rapist Brian McBride at Wakefield maximum security jail, Also sentenced for misconduct in public office covering up the affair are, Jacqueline Flynn, Carolyn Falloon, 50, and Kevin Wilson, 56, all healthcare officers at Wakefield Prison face a charge that they wilfully neglected their duty by failing to notify prison authorities that lifer Brian McBride was in possession of a mobile phone.
A PRISON nurse who had an affair with a convicted rapist at HMP Wakefield has been jailed for three years.
Karen Cosford had sex with lifer Brian McBride in a staff room. She also performed a sex act on him in a cell while colleagues Jacqueline Flynn, 46, and fellow nurse Carolyn Falloon, 51, stood guard outside.
Cosford, of Marston Walk, Altofts, also wrote a love letter to McBride calling him her “knight in shining armour” and sent him gushing text messages. The nurse also topped up his phone credits.
She claimed she had been raped by McBride but was found guilty of misconduct in a public office, along with Flynn and Falloon, last Thursday.
Flynn, 46, of The Leys, South Kirkby, was jailed for 15 months for failing to tell her bosses about Cosford’s consensual relationship with McBride.
She also failed to disclose that McBride had a prohibited phone at the high security jail.
Falloon, of Manor Crescent, Walton, who covered up the affair, the presence of the phone and topped up McBride’s mobile, was jailed for 21 months.
Colleague Kevin Wilson, 57, of St Michael’s Green, Normanton, was jailed for 15 months after pleading guilty to three counts of misconduct before the trial began. He admitted to keeping quiet about Cosford’s relationship with the rapist, McBride having a phone and to providing a sim card.
Judge David Hatton QC, passing sentence at Bradford Crown Court on Monday, said: “It is a sad business indeed when four people of mature years and previous good character, public servants who have devoted, as you have, several years to their vocations find themselves to be sentenced for having abused their position of trust.”
He added: “These acts and omissions both constitute a gross breach of security in a prison housing dangerous criminals. The possession of phones places at risk not only security but the safety of staff and undermines authority.”
The judge accepted they had all fallen under the “evil” spell of the deceitful and manipulative McBride but said each had the power and duty to avoid that.
After the case senior investigating officer Det Insp Stuart Spencer said: “We, the public, place a great deal of trust and confidence in our prison service to ensure that these prisoners in no way jeopardize our safety. The vast majority of prison officers uphold this trust and confidence and are professional.
“The actions and conduct of the four officers convicted has fallen far below our expectations.
“I hope their conviction sends a clear message as to the standards of behaviour the public expect from their prison officers.”
Det Insp Spencer also praised investigators Det Con Barry Aveyard, Det Con Helen Boycott-Law and case worker Joe Bradshaw.
He added: “These three have worked tirelessly, to the detriment of their professional and private lives to ensure the successful conclusion of this operation.”
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Weather for Wakefield
Monday 20 May 2013
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