Prison nurse, 25, who was jailed over romance with inmate drugs gang member struck off for 12 months
- Elyse-May Hibbs was jailed for six months in 2022 over the prison romance
- The healthcare worker has now been banned from practicing for 12 months
A prison nurse who was jailed for having a relationship with an inmate has been struck off for 12 months.
Prison nurse Elyse-May Hibbs, 25, met Harry Pullen, 25, at HMP Parc in Bridgend, South Wales while he was serving a five year sentence for drug offences.
Hibbs was jailed for six months last year after she admitted misconduct in a public office following the discovery of her relationship with the ‘manipulative’ prisoner.
The healthcare worker was discovered to have exchanged Instagram messages with Pullen and held ‘flirtatious’ calls over the phone.
A disciplinary tribunal has now handed the medic a 12 month suspension order, meaning she will not be allowed to practice her profession until the order expires.
Prison nurse Elyse-May Hibbs, 25, (pictured) was jailed for entering a relationship with an inmate
Harry Pullen, 25, (pictured) was jailed for five years in 2019 for flooding the streets of south Wales with cocaine and heroin
READ MORE: Prison nurse, 25, is jailed for six months over ‘flirtatious’ calls and social media messages with ‘manipulative’ inmate
Hibbs claimed she was ‘pressurised’ into flirting with Pullen, who was sentenced to five years in prison in 2019 for flooding the streets of South Wales with cocaine and heroin.
She was one of two prison workers in HMP Parc accused of having relationships with Pullen, alongside prison officer Ruth Shmylo who is set to face trial this Septemebr.
Hibbs attended a Nursing Midwifery Council disciplinary hearing following her release from jail to decide if she was fit to carrying on her career.
The hearing found that her ‘fitness to practise’ was impaired by her conviction, and she was handed a 12 months suspension order.
This means that she may practice nursing again once the 12 months order is lifted to carry on her career.
A court heard ‘manipulative’ Pullen came into contact with Hibbs while in custody at HMP Parc in Bridgend, South Wales.
Hibbs met the prisoner while giving him medical treatment in her jail before he contacted her on Instagram.
Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe said jail chiefs suspected the inmate was involved in an inappropriate relationship at the prison so transferred him to HMP Manchester.
But investigators then found Hibbs’ phone number on his approved calls list for inmates.
A disciplinary hearing barred Elyse-May Hibbs, 25, from practicing nursing for 12 months
READ MORE: Prison custody officer, 25, ‘had five-month fling with prisoner’ before 25-year-old jail nurse ‘had behind-bars romance for three months with SAME jailbird’
Mr Cobbe said: ‘Having been moved the inmate’s calls were monitored in HMP Manchester and it was quite plain the relationship with this defendant had was being nurtured by the inmate.
‘He contacted the defendant very many times and the bulk of it occurred when she was employed at HMP Parc.’
Mr Cobbe said the inmate used his mother and a friend to initiate contact with Hibbs after he searched for her on Instagram.
He said: ‘The calls between them were flirtatious. They talk about the prison, staff within the prison, he tells her that he loves her and she tells him he doesn’t know her to love her.
‘He tells her that he loves her and she tells him that she loves him too. The calls included references to the defendant’s existing partner and the inmate continuously suggested he would replace him and be in a relationship with her.’
Cardiff Crown Court heard the two swapped messages on Instagram by contacting each other through an account held by the inmate’s friend.
Hibbs quit her post at HMP Parc in July 2021 and was arrested a week later and admitted exchanging messages with the prisoner.
She told police she was scared to end the contact after he had previously threatened her.
Mr Cobbe said: ‘She explained that she and the inmate were never in a sexual relationship of any kind at all.
‘She accepted she should have reported the matter but that she got in too deep and couldn’t get out.’
Elyse-May Hibbs, 25, was jailed for six months after admitting misconduct in a public office
Hibbs, of Newbridge, Gwent, admitted misconduct in a public office.
Adam Sharp, defending Hibbs, said the prisoner was known within the system to be a ‘particularly manipulative individual’.
He said: ‘She was young, impressionable, inexperienced and vulnerable to the malign influence of the inmate who sought to exploit her.’
Mr Sharp said Hibbs had ‘dedicated a significant part of her adult life’ to nursing but her conviction meant she would be banned from the profession.
Recorder of Cardiff Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, told Hibbs: ‘You knew what you were doing was wrong, you had training but nevertheless you went ahead and formed what was clearly an emotional relationship with this prisoner.
‘Although you were young you held a position of responsibility as a nurse and as a member of prison staff. You failed to report initial contact despite advice from a colleague and training you had had.
‘You engaged in flirtatious relationship initially, you failed to report the on-going contact and you failed to report that this inmate had upon him and in custody an unlawful device.’
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