A former female prison guard in Australia, Amy Mershell Connors (34), appeared in a New South Wales court on Monday 20 August, where she entered a no plea against charges alleging that she engaged in a 12-month-long sexual affair with a Tongan prisoner Sione Penisini.

Amy Connors, who is married with two children, worked as a senior prison guard for 14 years at the Mid North Coast Correctional Centre where the alleged affair took place.

According to Australian media reports, Amy’s suspicious husband prompted an internal investigation after he called the correctional facility and demanded to know which “officer” she was sleeping with.

Amy was arrested at her home on 3 August following a police investigation and later charged with ‘misconduct in public office’.

According to the charges, Sione Penisini ‘groomed’ Connors by motivating her to lose weight. Sione is serving a 36-year jail sentence for murdering an Australian policeman Glenn McEnallay in 2002.

Sione has since been moved to Goulburn Supermax jail, the highest security prison in Australia.