A female prison officer has been suspended over allegations of an "inappropriate relationship" with an inmate at a UK jail already mired in controversy. Katerina Tatus was recently "marched out of the gates" of HMP Feltham, located just outside London, after an internal investigation that reportedly exposed her alleged affair with the prisoner.
It is not clear if Tatus had sex with the inmate and if she did engage in sex, how many times she did so. Authorities are now looking into the allegations, which arise amid increasing worries about corruption in prisons and inappropriate relationships between officers and inmates, according to the Sun, which cited law enforcement sources.
Affair Behind the Bars
"She has been accused of having an affair and being too close to a prisoner," one source told The Sun. "Katerina is a pretty girl and was popular with staff and inmates," the source added. "If she has done what she is accused of, though, she has ruined her career."
One source said: "Katerina was stopped and marched to the gates by security.
"She has been accused of having an affair and being too close to a prisoner.
"It is unclear if it was a Feltham inmate or if something happened with someone at another jail. It was even suggested a mobile number of hers had been used by a prisoner.
"But her suspension has sent shockwaves around the jail and it has happened because of an intelligence report by other staff.
"It was the custodial manager, in charge of her unit, who finally found out about the allegations.
"Bosses are really worried about misconduct and corruption, especially after recent cases, so are doing their best to clamp down on it.
"But if Katerina has been misbehaving, she is not the only one in Feltham.
Exposed Her Affair Herself
Tatus was allegedly suspended following an intelligence report filed by a staff member. No information about the inmate has been made public.
Tatus had shared photos of herself enjoying vacations and partying with friends before deactivating her Facebook account.
In one picture, a commenter wrote: "Prettiest one in Feltham."
HMP Feltham, located in West London, houses both adult prisoners aged 18 to 30 and a separate young offenders' institution for those under 18. Tatus was assigned to the adult prison.
A report from last year revealed that Feltham A, the youth facility, had the highest levels of violence of any prison in the UK.
This incident comes just months after another female prison officer in the UK was sentenced to 15 months behind bars after being caught on camera engaging in sexual activity with an inmate in his cell.
Linda De Sousa Abreu, a 30-year-old married mother, admitted to having multiple sexual encounters with inmate Linton Weirich at London's Wandsworth prison. One of the incidents was captured in a graphic video that went viral last June.
