Linda showed no emotion as she appeared at Isleworth Crown Court after admitting a charge of misconduct in public office. She was granted bail ahead of sentencing on 7 November, but had her passport withheld, was banned from travelling and was subject to electronic monitoring from 7pm to 9am every day.

Linda, who worked at HMP Wandsworth in south London, was arrested after a video of her having sex with inmate Linton Weirich, 36, inside the prison was shared on social media. A prison official said: “Corruption by staff is intolerable and the former prison officer who is believed to have appeared in the video has been reported to the police.”

The footage was filmed by another prisoner and circulated among prisoners on illegally smuggled phones. Police launched an investigation into the footage last month and arrested Linda shortly afterwards, as she attempted to flee the UK at Heathrow Airport.

At the airport, Linda called the prison to say she would not be returning to work and that her husband would help return the equipment. Linda and her husband, an MMA fighter, share an OnlyFans account, a paid service for posting explicit content.

Senior prosecutor Tetteh Turkson described the incident as a shocking breach of public trust. Linda De Sousa Abreu was clearly an active participant but mistakenly thought she could escape responsibility. “There is no justification for any prison officer to behave in this way and we will never hesitate to prosecute those who abuse their position and power,” Tetteh Turkson said.