Prison officer who had baby by inmate is jailed for 30 months
A prison officer who had a baby after conducting an affair with a young offender in his cell was jailed yesterday.
Kelly-Anne McDade, 31, gave birth to a boy in February after the relationship with Nelson Delgado, who had been listed as dangerous by officials.
McDade told colleagues at the Young Offenders' Institute in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, that she had become pregnant after a holiday relationship.
Jailed for 30 months: Prison officer Kelly-Anne McDade gave birth to a boy after a relationship with inmate Nelson Delgado
But she had to resign after she was caught on CCTV opening 21-year-old Delgado's cell door when all doors at the institution had been closed for the night in August 2008.
Judge Christopher Tyrer called her behaviour 'disgraceful' as he jailed her for 30 months at Aylesbury Crown Court.
'You engaged in a wholly improper sexual relationship with an inmate,' the judge said. 'He was in your care.' He said McDade would have been trained to report such matters to her superiors and added that the affair could have placed female colleagues at risk from other offenders who knew about it.
'They might have expected the other female officers to be susceptible to similar approaches. The consequences could have been very serious.'
Judge Tyrer added: 'Love is not an excuse.'
McDade, of Aylesbury, admitted misconduct in a public office and trying to smuggle three mobile phones into another young offenders' institution where her lover was moved when the affair came to light.
When her home was searched, police found a mobile phone with a message from Delgado, whom she visits regularly, reading: 'I love you my wife.'
They plan to set up home together when they are both freed and bring up their son together, who is now nine months old.
McDade had been employed at the young offenders' institution for three years when she started the relationship with Delgado last year.
Nigel Ogborne, prosecuting, said that when the prison governor found out Delgado was the father, he said the relationship 'could have caused a massive breach of security'.
Richard Germain, defending McDade, 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".'
Mr Germain said the relationship had been going on for several months before McDade became pregnant.
