In 2022, Jerome Nunes discarded a mobile phone from his cell at HMP Long Lartin, prompting authorities to examine its contents. The discovery of the device set off an inquiry that would eventually reveal an inappropriate relationship between the inmate and a prison staff member.
The phone led investigators to uncover a cache of communications between Nunes and Jade Morris, a former custody officer who had worked at the same prison. The digital trail showed a pattern of contact that went far beyond any permissible interaction.
Female prison officer exchanged more than 5,000 illicit Snapchat messages with inmate at maximum security jail https://t.co/NT4de09Z6I
Analysis of the recovered device showed that Morris and Nunes had exchanged more than 5,000 Snapchat messages, alongside other forms of electronic communication. The sheer volume indicated a sustained and covert connection.
On 1 February 2024, Nunes pleaded guilty to possessing an unauthorised mobile phone inside the prison.
Jade Morris, 37 years old, had served as a custody officer before leaving the role. When first questioned about her contacts with Nunes, she denied any wrongdoing, insisting that her actions were private and unrelated to her duties.
Jade Morris, 37, prison officer, exchanged more than 5,000 illicit Snapchat messages with inmate, 35, at maximum security jail. https://t.co/gBtBvvvmj4
Jerome Nunes had accumulated 23 previous convictions covering 31 offences. In 2019 he received a sentence for a drugs conspiracy, underscoring a lengthy history of involvement with the criminal justice system.
On 1 February 2024, Nunes pleaded guilty to possessing an unauthorised mobile phone inside the prison. The plea acknowledged that he had broken prison rules by keeping a device that could be used to contact the outside world.
A month later, on 1 March 2024, Morris pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office and to facilitating the use of a prohibited device. Her admissions marked a formal recognition that she had abused her position as a prison officer.
On 1 May 2024, during a police interview, Morris admitted that she had been communicating with a prisoner. This confession came after months of denial and aligned with the forensic data recovered from the discarded phone.
Police forensics recovered extensive evidence of their exchanges. The prosecution contends that the messages included sexual imagery, while the defence maintains there is no proof of physical contact or explicit photos being shared. Cathlyn Orchard remarked that Morris described her phone as personal and private and refused to hand it over, and Orchard added that it seemed implicit they must have been sharing sexual images. Holly Sims countered that there is no evidence of any physical contact or of explicit photos being shared between them.
As of now, Morris awaits sentencing for her crimes, and the case has prompted broader discussion about how contraband phones and inappropriate relationships can slip through prison safeguards.