Former inmate Tony Gooch has revealed he has no regrets about a six-month illicit relationship he had with a female prison officer during his incarceration. His story surfaces as prison officer Isabelle Dale has been found guilty of misconduct for engaging in sexual relationships with two inmates at HMP Coldingley.
Dale was convicted of two counts of misconduct in a public office and conspiracy to convey a prohibited article into prison, having had sex with inmate Shahid Sharif in a prayer room and also being involved with Connor Money. Gooch, who spent a total of 9.5 years in prison for violent crimes, described his relationship with the officer, who was in her 30s and married, as something that "happens" and is not fundamentally different from relationships on the outside, with attraction and reciprocation leading to an encounter.
He stated that they managed to snatch brief moments of intimacy, highlighting the risks involved. The relationship was eventually exposed when another prisoner informed other officers, leading to Gooch being placed in segregation for 16 weeks and subsequently transferred to another prison.
The female officer was dismissed. Despite the severe consequences for him, Gooch maintains he does not regret the romance, explaining that during long prison sentences, elements of life such as sex and intimacy are taken away, and the opportunity for such a relationship is often seized upon by inmates.
He believes that as long as men and women are in proximity, attraction and subsequent relationships will occur, and suggests that increasing penalties for female staff might not be an effective deterrent.
