An imprisoned watchdog supervisor who engaged in inappropriate behavior by sending explicit messages to a convict and participating in drug smuggling has been sentenced to prison.
Helen Spree, aged 63, initiated a sexual relationship with Dylan Westall, 35, exchanging explicit texts and videos with the convicted murderer. Additionally, she was discovered to possess pillows with images of his face on them shortly after he received a life sentence for fatally shooting a young man.
Spree also professed her affection for another inmate. Initially serving as a member of an independent monitoring board in 2017, she was responsible for evaluating prisoner conditions and overseeing their treatment.
After an investigation by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, she pleaded guilty to several offenses, including misconduct in a public office. Today, she received a sentence of five years and three months, displaying signs of emotion in court.
Reported by the Liverpool Echo, it was detailed how Spree developed inappropriate relationships with three prisoners at HMP Liverpool between December 2019 and her arrest in August 2021.
She shared sensitive information including details of searches, prison officer schedules, and impending police actions, in addition to offering to help dismiss adjudications. Spree also facilitated the smuggling of mobile phones, cannabis, and related items into the prison upon request.
During sentencing, Judge Neil Flewitt KC stated that Spree’s actions were not isolated incidents but rather a series of deliberate offenses over an extended period. Despite being influenced by others, she willingly engaged in inappropriate relationships and knowingly participated in smuggling contraband into the prison.
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