A FORMER prison governer says the system is on the verge of collapse due to novice guards and out-of-control inmates.

The comments of ex-governer Professor Ian Acheson come following a series of high-profile cases of female prison staff engaging in inappropriate relationships with male inmates.

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Among the most scandalous cases was that of Aleesha Bates, 29, and Jodie Wilkes, 27, who exchanged thousands of messages with the same inmate during an illicit love triangle at Buckley Hall jail in Rochdale.

Bates even sent naked photos to the drug trafficker and was given two years and eight months for misconduct, while Wilkes got 12 months, suspended for two years, in March this year.

Professor Acheson, who has ­written a book called Screwed about prison problems, says while overpopulated jails are a major issue, lack of staff ­discipline and corruption is rife.

He said: “There’s a decline that’s not all to do with overcrowding. Not every establishment has that issue.

“Prisons need to be returned to order and discipline and control.

“One of the issues we have is that this is a national law enforcement agency which is being run a bit like the civil service.

“The uniforms are cheap, there’s no esprit de corps, discipline seems almost like a dirty word and then you will get very high-profile and extremely embarrassing events, such as the alleged sexual incident at Wandsworth.

“I think it’s all related to the fact we’re just trying to put bums on seats and boots on ­landings.”

Bolton Crown Court previously heard how Bates first got into a relationship with the inmate in December 2019 while she was working as a prison officer.

She sent the prisoner, who was jailed for drug trafficking offences, X-rated messages and naked photos of herself.

Wilkes then began seeing him in April 2020, with the pair both involved with him at the same time for two months.

She was an operational support grade (OSG), which involves “supporting the smooth and safe running of the prison”.

Police searching the prisoner’s cell found a mobile phone that exposed the relationships.

In one text, Bates had told him: “I want you 24/7. I can’t get enough of you.

“If I had it my way I would be on the phone to you every single moment.”

The pair had also exchanged X-rated photos and videos – although Bates denied there was any physical sexual contact.

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Messages also revealed the prisoner had threatened Bates after she borrowed money from him and his family.

One said if she failed to return the money, would “sent two people to her house to smash her head in”.

Bates later told police she had been manipulated and “fell in love” with the prisoner.

Bob Elias, defending, said the “track record” of the prisoner who had acted as a “seducer” needed to be considered.

He told the court Bates had been “ensnared” by him and had “crossed the line” but she had been “vulnerable”.

Wilkes meanwhile accepted she had engaged in “an improper association” and confirmed she was not “manipulated” by the lag.

Judge Elliot Knopf said the gross breach of trust reached its “ultimate level” in Bates’ case.

He added: “Yes, you were ensnared [by the prisoner] but he identified you as someone who could be approached and you did not have to accept that approach.”

Labour had ‘no option’ on lags

LABOUR have claimed they have “no option” but to release thousands of prisoners who have served 40 per cent of their jail sentences.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said it was vital to avoid the “collapse of the criminal justice system” due to overcrowding.

The emergency measure will see an estimated 5,500 prisoners back on the streets to serve the remainder of their terms on licence.

Previously, only those who had served half of their sentences – excluding those convicted of sexual, terrorist or serious violent offences – could be considered.

Labour had vowed in March not to release criminals early.

But two days before the election, Sir Keir Starmer said they would “in all likelihood . . . have to continue” with the early releases.

Labour has promised to rush through 14,000 additional prison places by changing planning laws and to train 1,000 new probation ­officers by March next year.

Recent Ministry of Justice data showed there were just 700 free places in adult male prisons, and that jails had been operating at 99 per cent capacity since last year.

Labour have appointed campaigner James Timpson, CEO of key cutting and cobbler firm Timpson, as their new ­prisons minister.

His company has hired hundreds of former inmates.

Previously Mr Timpson, who is now a member of the House of Lords, said “only a third” of prisoners “should definitely be there”.

He told Channel 4 News: “Holland has shut half of their prisons. They have a different way of sentencing – it’s community sentencing.”

Professor Acheson warns the system is on the verge of collapse, because out-of-control inmates are often being looked after by novice guards as young as 18 with just six weeks of training.

Overcrowding means stretched staff are ­losing control, and the probation service is so pushed that they struggle to control more than 87,000 inmates who are being allowed out early to ease the problem.

Professor Acheson says today’s prison staff are at risk of being corrupted or sexually exploited because they get so little training.

To demonstrate the point, last month a 30-year-old prison officer was jailed for four years after being duped into a sham romance with a convicted rapist who “love bombed” her shortly after she started working at HMP Forest Bank, Salford.

Hannah Angwaba, 30, tried to smuggle cocaine and cannabis to rapist Anton McPherson, 33.

She was described in court as being a “very inexperienced” employee.

Professor Acheson said: “Despite what the name might suggest, prison governors are not in charge of their establishments.

“They can’t even make decisions about who to hire as frontline officers or staff because they are sent people from a central national training system.

“The recruitment age has dropped to 18 and we have the shortest training probably of any prison ­professional in Western Europe.

“It works out at about six weeks now compared with Norway, which has a two-year training course.

“Here, you could be a teenager, barely trained after six weeks and thrown into what the Prison ­Officers Association calls one of the most hostile working environments in Europe.

“It’s no wonder a lot of these ­people don’t even last to the end of their probation.

“That’s to do with putting inexperienced people with no life skills, no emotional intelligence, and throwing them into an environment awash with drugs, awash with violence which contains many predators.

“What you see then is exploitation and intimidation of young staff who can’t cope with it.”