A prison officer who wrote love poetry for sex offender has been jailed for six months over a “highly sexual” secret relationship.
Livvy Edney, 44, of Torquay, appeared at Exeter Crown Court on Friday, where she received a custodial sentence for misconduct in public office.
The mother of three developed a secret relationship with a convicted sex offender, Paul Young, whom she was responsible for supervising whilst employed at HMP Channings Wood in Devon.
Young was serving an indefinite sentence for public protection following his conviction for assault by penetration when Edney began her supervisory role over him.
The court heard their relationship was “highly sexual” in nature, though Judge James Patrick accepted there was no evidence of any physical contact between them.
A search of Young’s prison cell uncovered a trove of correspondence from Edney, including letters, notes and a Valentine’s card featuring two penguins.
A card written by Edney contained an explicit message reading: “Happy Valentine’s my love, the first of many. Roses are red, violets are blue, I’ll make you scream when I put my strap-on inside you. Love from your Valentine.”
The illicit relationship commenced in November 2022 after Edney took on supervisory duties for Young.
Livvy Edney, 44, has been sentenced to six months in prison after having a relationship with a sex offender inmate
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Prison authorities grew suspicious of the pair’s interactions, prompting Young’s transfer to HMP The Verne in January 2023.
However, the relocation failed to sever their connection.
Edney employed elaborate measures to continue communicating with the inmate, obtaining two pay-as-you-go mobile phones and registering under a false name.
She went so far as to provide prison officials with an address belonging to one of Young’s family members, effectively posing as a relative to maintain contact.
The ex-prison officer appeared at Exeter Crown Court on Friday
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The 44-year-old was detained at her home in March 2023, where officers discovered the two mobile devices.
During subsequent police questioning, Edney denied any romantic involvement with Young and claimed no knowledge of the phones.
Prison authorities also recorded telephone conversations between the pair in which they professed their love for one another.
During these calls, Young recited poetry he had composed for Edney.
The couple discussed future plans together, including a trip to Venice once Young was released from custody.
The court heard that Young had previously been involved in a relationship with another prison officer, a fact that had apparently intrigued Edney.
Judge James Patrick told Edney she had been fully aware of the “importance of maintaining boundaries in relation to prisoners”.
“From that period, you and he developed a relationship which became closer and closer,” the judge remarked.
He added: “But plainly, your relationship was highly sexual, even if it was not physical.”
Defence barrister Lee Bremridge appealed for a suspended sentence, noting that Edney had since remarried and secured full-time employment, making reoffending unlikely.
He highlighted her relative inexperience in prison work and pointed to personal vulnerabilities stemming from her childhood and a 20-year marriage to her former husband.
Edney had entered a guilty plea to misconduct in public office at an earlier hearing before receiving Friday’s custodial sentence.
