Former prison guard Linda De Sousa Abreu, who was fired after videos surfaced of her having sex with an inmate, has broken her silence to criticize the British correctional service. The 32-year-old married mother of one worked at HMP Wandsworth, a prison she describes as "understaffed and hard to manage."
The Scandal Unfolds
Abreu, who also ran an OnlyFans account, met inmate Linton Weirich, 38, while he was serving time for robbery. Weirich claimed Abreu brought Chinese food for prisoners, but she singled him out for extra attention. The two engaged in sex on multiple occasions, and a video of their encounter in a cell went viral, destroying her career and leading to her imprisonment.
"Everyone's doing something. I regret everything I did. I'm incredibly embarrassed," Abreu told the U.K. Sun. "Everything that I was charged for was what I went guilty for, which was an inappropriate relationship with Linton. That was my fault and that's what I went guilty for, and that's as far as it went. I had sex with someone I shouldn't have had sex with and I had an appropriate relationship, but I didn't do anything else."
Weirich's Account
Weirich told the newspaper: "I added her on Snapchat and we talked about what she was up to. She was into her gym. Her banter was flirty. It was obvious she liked me but I think she also wanted someone to look out for her on the landing. She asked me to sort out an inmate who spat on her, so I did." He said he did not want the infamous encounter filmed.
The convict who filmed the romp, identified as Coppola, was heard saying: "This is how we live at Wandsworth. Gangsters online."
Legal Consequences
After the tape became public, Abreu resigned and attempted to flee. She pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office on July 29, 2024, and received a 15-month sentence. She served five months before being released with an ankle bracelet. "I've just been keeping a low-key life," Abreu said. "I just want to get on with my life. I want to keep being a good mum to my child."
Wider Pattern
Since 2021, around 45 female British prison officers have been caught having sexual encounters with male prisoners. In February, guard Charlotte Winstanley, 27, was convicted for smuggling contraband into HMP Lindholme for inmate Jabhari Blair, 30, including a cellphone used to send "explicit photos and videos." Winstanley told Blair: "I love my job, but I love you more." She was jailed for 30 months.
Prosecutors noted that Mondays were "date night" for the pair. One message from Blair indicated he "can't wait to give Miss Winstanley a beautiful baby." The judge described Winstanley's corruption as the "worst" he had seen.
