Hells Angels accused of having affair with guard before leaving jail on parole
HELLS Angels gang member Christian Manu Birch is the latest inmate to have a tryst with a female prison officer as the NSW government scrambles to stamp out bad behaviour. New details have emerged about how the pair may have gone from from cell to sex.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
HELLS Angels gang member Christian Manu Birch has been exposed as the latest inmate to have a relationship with a female prison officer as the NSW government scrambles to enforce tough reforms to stamp out bad behaviour.
The Daily Telegraph understands Birch, a member of the Sydney chapter City Crew, arrived at Mannus Correctional Centre in February 2015 where he met then prison officer Linda Russell (nee Abbott).
The disturbing insight comes as Kempsey jail guard Amy Connors was expected to be formally charged with misconduct in public office over her alleged relationship with cop-killer inmate Sione Penisini.
Ms Russell’s husband also worked at the minimum security men’s facility, located near the NSW-Victorian border.
However, he and other prison guards soon became suspicious of how “close” the pair were getting and Birch was transferred to Sydney’s Parklea Correctional Centre in February 2016 — despite no official evidence of wrongdoing.
He was released on parole later that year in October and it’s understood Ms Russell quit her job at Mannus shortly after.
“Birch groomed Linda telling her she looked pretty and enjoyed their monthly catch-ups,” an insider revealed.
“It happened easily because Mannus is an open, minimum-security, facility with lower staffing levels.”
Corrections Minister David Elliott this week vowed to establish a taskforce that will investigate “all allegations” of sexual or inappropriate relationships between inmates and correctional staff over the last decade.
MORE: TOUGH REFORM PUSHED BY STATE’S JAILS TOP BOSS
MORE: GUARD AND PRISONER SEX PROMPTS MINISTER PROBE
“The terms of reference will include this relationship,” Mr Elliott said.
A Corrective Services spokeswoman confirmed there was an investigation into behaviour between an inmate and officer at Mannus Correctional Centre.
“The officer resigned in October 2016 before formal action could commence,” she said.
While no disciplinary action occurred, The Daily Telegraph understands Ms Russell’s name was black-listed at the Mannus facility after her departure.
Birch was sentenced to 7½ years in 2011 after he was arrested for supplying a commercial amount of party drug GHB.
He was riding his Harley-Davidson and dressed in club colours with a loaded semiautomatic .45 pistol when he was caught in 2009.
MORE: PRISONER BROKE CODE OF CONDUCT NOT THE LAW
MORE: GUARD SUSPENDED FOR AFFAIR WITH COP KILLER
It comes after The Daily Telegraph revealed Corrective Services Minister Peter Severin said he would support inmates that have sex with prison guards being treated with anti-libido drugs after an investigation found Long Bay prison guard Demmi Zeschke had a sexual relationship with inmate Jarad Smith.
Smith, 23, is responsible for the drink-driving death of two innocent people in 2014.
Investigators are also trawling through CCTV and rosters for evidence of Kempsey jail guard Amy Connors’ sexual relationship with cop killer Sione Penisini.
FORMER GUARD TELLS ALL: JAILS NOT GREAT FOR SEX
Ms Connors was working at the jail in June but was suspended last Friday.
Mr Severin said he would “make it an offence punishable by imprisonment” if he had his way.
It is not currently illegal for a prison officer to have sex with an inmate.
SPECIAL INVESTIGATION
► CHAPTER ONE: Inside the squad that beat Sydney’s gangs
► CHAPTER TWO: The real-life police fight club
