Prison officer accused of behind bars relationship with Belmarsh inmate

A female prison officer accused of having an 'inappropriate relationship' with an inmate at a high-security prison has appeared in court. Michelle Molver works as a dedicated Prison Employment Lead at HMP Belmarsh, a Category A men's jail located in Thamesmead, south-east London. Her job involves assisting prisoners in securing permanent employment upon their release after serving their sentence. The 30-year-old has appeared at Bromley Magistrates' Court after being charged with misconduct in public office between August 1 and September 5 last year. She is alleged to have had an inappropriate relationship with Kemai Mathurine, an inmate at the prison. Dressed in a black leather jacket, black leggings and boots, she only spoke to confirm her name, age and new address during the brief hearing. No specific details of the alleged relationship with the prisoner were heard during her initial appearance in court this week. The officer, of Chadwell Heath, east London, was granted bail and she will next appear in the dock in June, at Woolwich Magistrates’ Court. HMP Belmarsh houses a number of high-profile offenders, including lads considered national security risks. Molver has also been involved with The Churchill Fellowship, which focuses on rehabilitation projects linked to prisoners and reducing reoffending. In an online profile, Molver states: “My role is to support prisoners into employment on release and ultimately to reduce their likelihood of reoffending. “The criminal justice system in the UK is at breaking point, with prison populations at an all-time high, and this has a ripple effect impacting services well beyond the justice sector."