A former prison governor is facing jail after she sent Whatsapp messages to an inmate on a phone he wasn’t meant to have.

Victoria Laithwaite, 47, was arrested in May last year after a mobile was found in prisoner James Chalmers’ cell.

The pair appeared for a short hearing at Northampton Crown Court today, when Judge Adrienne Lucking QC said that although the messages only gave a ‘snapshot’, they suggested a ‘wider relationship’ between the pair.

Laithwaite, who was governor at category C prison HMP Onley, Northamptonshire, admitted sending the messages last month which was an offence under Section 44 of the Serious Crime Act 2007.

She was working as head of safer custody and equalities when she was arrested.

Her role involved responsibility for ensuring the support of the most vulnerable inmates.

Laithwaite, of Kislingbury, Northamptonshire, was released on conditional bail and will be sentenced on March 21.

Chalmers, 29, from Coventry, is also due in court on the same date. He is charged with possessing a mobile phone inside a prison, and appeared at today’s hearing via video link from Worcestershire’s HMP Hewell.

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