Former prison officer who had inmate’s baby jailed for smuggling and misconduct

November 13, 2009 by Shawn Douglas
Filed under: News

Former prison officer Kelly-Anne McDade was sentenced to 30 months in jail for her inappropriate conduct with a prisoner.

Kelly-Anne McDade worked at HM Aylesbury Young Offenders’ Institution in Buckinghamshire for three years without issue before she met 21-year-old Nelson Delgado. Delgado was in the institution for robbery and assault of an elderly couple, and the court considered him to be a “dangerous offender”.

But McDade found that she had a growing attraction to Delgado, resulting in a sexual affair and a pregnancy.

Working for the prosecution, Nigel Ogborne told the court that McDade explained her pregnancy to prison authorities as an unplanned pregnancy while on foreign holiday. However, McDade raises suspicions during her interactions with Delgado including regular visits and gifts.

McDade was ultimately caught on August 10, 2008 when CCTV showed her opening Delgado’s prison door at night, a time when all doors were to remain closed. McDade resigned after being caught, and Delgado was moved to Staffordshire Young Offenders’ Institute.

McDade tried to keep in touch with Delgado after giving birth by attempting to smuggle three mobile phones hidden in a stereo. McDade wasn’t arrested, however, until she attempted to cash in on her story, selling it to Closer magazine for 1000 pounds.

When Thames Valley Police investigated, they found another mobile phone at McDade’s residence that contained a message from Delgado that said “I love you, my wife.”

Working for McDade’s defense, Richard Germain told the court, “There is no doubt it was an inappropriate relationship, but Ms McDade would say ‘You can’t help who you fall in love with’.”

Judge Christopher Tyrer disagreed, saying, “Love is not an excuse.”

Judge Tyrer told McDade: “Your training would have warned you what to do if your feelings for him, as they did, crossed the line.”

“Not only did you frequently have a sexual relationship with him, but you became pregnant by him and that means that you abused your position as a prison officer, and the trust placed with you by your colleagues, your superiors and the public.”

McDade was sentenced to 12 months in prison for professional misconduct and 18 months for attempting to smuggle mobile phones into prison.