Full Breakdown
Former Prison Officer Sentenced for Contraband-Phone Relationship
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Convictions and Sentences
Former custody officer Jade Morris (37, Holmer, Herefordshire) was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court to 12 months’ imprisonment for misconduct in public office and for encouraging inmate Jerome Nunes (35, Newport, South Wales) to use a prohibited mobile device. Nunes received a nine-month term for two offences under the Prison Act 1952. Both defendants pleaded guilty.
Background & Context
HMP Long Lartin, a maximum-security prison in Worcestershire, has long battled the smuggling of contraband phones. In October 2022 a mobile phone was recovered after Nunes threw it from his cell window, prompting a police inquiry that uncovered a sustained illicit relationship between the officer and the inmate. Nunes, who had 23 prior convictions for 31 offences, was serving a sentence for a 2019 drugs-conspiracy conviction when the breach was discovered.
Timeline
- July 2022 – January 2023 – Morris and Nunes exchanged messages over a six-month period.
- October 2022 – A contraband phone is recovered from a cell window at Long Lartin.
- 10 February 2026 – Nunes pleads guilty at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court to two Prison Act offences.
- 8 October – The Crown Court is told the pair used multiple phones after Morris began work at the prison in 2022.
- 9 October – Morris is sentenced to 12 months’ custody.
Data & Statistics
- Over 5,000 Snapchat messages were exchanged, with additional ?100 WhatsApp messages and 23 files shared.
- One report cites “up to 10,000 messages,” creating a discrepancy with other accounts.
- Nunes’ record includes 23 previous convictions covering 31 offences.
- The court heard that Morris saved Nunes’s number under the contact name “Ghost.”
Official Statements & Responses
He rejected defence arguments for a suspended sentence, stating that “appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody.”
Defence counsel for Morris argued there was no evidence of physical contact or explicit images and that she was “extremely ashamed and embarrassed” by her behaviour. Counsel for Nunes highlighted his attempts at community reintegration, noting his recent small-food-business venture.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Prison officers hold positions of significant trust and responsibility.” — Georgina Davies, senior crown prosecutor, CPS
- “There is no evidence of any physical contact or of explicit photos being shared between either of the two defendants.” — Holly Sims, barrister
- “Appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody.” — Judge Peter Carr
- “You could have reported matters but chose not to. I am quite satisfied that you willingly engaged in contact with Mr Nunes.” — Jerome Nunes, inmate
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the total volume of illicit communications: most reports cite over 5,000 Snapchat messages, while the Manchester Evening News suggests “up to 10,000 messages.” No source provides a definitive count, leaving the exact scale of the breach unclear.
Why It Matters
The case illustrates how personal misconduct by prison staff can compromise institutional security and facilitate criminal activity within a closed environment. By reinforcing that breaches of trust will be met with custodial sentences, the judiciary and CPS aim to deter similar violations and preserve public confidence in the prison system.