Former prison officer jailed at Northampton court for sneaking phones into youth custody for money

A judge at Northampton Crown Court has sent a former custody care officer to prison after he abused his position by smuggling phones into a youth detention centre for financial gain.

Rickie Sheasby, aged 41, of St James Crescent in Southam, Warwickshire, became a certified officer at Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre in September 2021. This is a privately-run youth detention centre situated next to HMP Olney near Barby in Northamptonshire

On February 10, 2021, a young inmate told another officer that he was “gassed” because he was expecting a package from Sheasby. The following day, the youth displayed two packages in his underwear and suggested that Sheasby had been bringing in tobacco and cannabis for others.

Sheasby was called into a meeting two days later and he denied any wrongdoing, Northampton Crown Court heard on Wednesday, July 12 2023.

The same youth approached another officer on February 19, 2021 saying he was expecting another package from Sheasby but the defendant did not come into work that day. The following day, the inmate disclosed that Sheasby had been bringing cannabis, tobacco and lighters into the facility.

Sheasby was arrested on February 22, 2021 after two phones were seized from his car and he admitted that he intended to bring them into prison for someone in exchange for £500.

When asked by police why he had done this, he stated that he was in a “big hole,” his head was “in bits” and he was “not thinking straight,” the court heard.

Liam Muir, in mitigation, told the court: “He has - from the point the phone was found - made significant admissions to everyone and that shows a significant level of remorse.”

Sheasby, after pleading guilty to bringing mobile phones into STC Rainsbrook, was sentenced to six months in prison.

The Honourable Mr Justice Wigoder, sitting as a recorder, said: “This matter is grossly aggravated by the fact that you were a custody care officer. You are not someone’s girlfriend trying to pass something in, you were in a responsible position and you were doing it for cash and it is clear from the messages I can see that it was very carefully planned.”