A jail worker gave birth to a convicted murderer’s baby after having an affair with him.
Kerianne Stephens was guarding hit-and-run killer Louis Tate behind bars when they started an intimate relationship.
According to reports, their five-month romance saw them exchange text messages and phone calls through an illegally-held phone.
Prosecutor Maria Karaiskos said calls and text messages were made ‘over a number of weeks’ with the prison officer in the car park and ‘on many occasions’ while off-duty.
Stephens from Kent gave birth 16 months ago, and the 34-year-old jailed murderer was said to be the father of the child.
Judge Philip Statman was told that if the mother was jailed, the child would be cared for by the grandparents.
“It would be wholly wrong for a judge to sentence a mother without knowing all the background information because she must understand for offences of this gravity, an immediate custodial sentence must inevitably be in the mind of any judge,” he said.
The judge added: “You have got to understand that I’m going to looking with the greatest care at the probation service report in this case and it’s in your best interest to co-operate with the probation service.
“You must also understand that uppermost in my mind will be a custodial sentence. But I have to give anxious consideration to what is going to happen to your child, so full co-operation please.
“But regrettably you must prepare yourself to face an immediate custodial sentence.”
Stephens’s barrister Bethan Rogers said the mother’s parents were ready to take their grandchild but they also asked the court to consider the ‘adverse effect’ a jail sentence would have not only on the mother but also the child.
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Replaced!