Correctives staffer Amber Clavell charged over intimate relationship with inmate, drug supply

A female prison guard charged over her relationship with a convicted armed robber behind bars is allegedly pregnant with his child.

A female prison guard charged with having an intimate relationship with an inmate is allegedly pregnant with his child.

Amber Clavell, 25, allegedly struck up a romance with armed robber Mark Richard John Kennedy, 27, while she was working and he was serving time inside Geoffrey Pearce Correctional Centre in Sydney’s northwest.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal police allege the relationship between Clavell and Kennedy – who is not eligible for parole until 2027 – has not only seen her suspended without pay from her job, but has also resulted in her now being several months pregnant with his child.

Clavell’s alleged mixing of love and work was interrupted on April 23, when NSW Police charged her with engaging in an intimate relationship with an inmate, two counts of access or modifying restricted data, bringing prohibited drugs into place of attention and drug supply.

Amber Clavell leaves Penrith Local Court.

Clavell avoided media attention.

Court documents allege the same day, Clavell snuck in 33g grams of methamphetamine to give to Kennedy, which she hid in two balloons “on her body” along with a pouch of tobacco.

It is also alleged in court documents that Clavell abused her access to the internal corrective services systems to check on her prison lover’s contact with his wife over the jail telephone and to look up other information.

Police allege that Clavell “seriously jeopardised the good order and safety” of the prison, through her knowledge of “multiple criminal offences being committed by inmates and other staff”.

Mark Kennedy is an inmate at Geoffrey Pearce correctional. Picture: Facebook

Clavell, who began working as a uniformed officer at Geoffrey Pearce Correctional Centre in 2022, faced Penrith Local Court on Wednesday where she did not enter a plea to the charges.

She was told by Magistrate Fiona Toose to reappear on June 4, before rushing out of the courthouse and hiding her face from the waiting media.

The investigation into Clavell also resulted in her friend and fellow prison officer Jessica Elguindy, 25, being charged over an alleged relationship with a different inmate at the same jail.

Elguindy, who is the daughter of decorated prison officer Superintendent Walid “Wally” Elguindy, allegedly struck up a relationship with inmate Beau Jones during her work at the Windsor minimum-security jail.

Geoffrey Pearce Correctional Centre is a minimum-security facility for male offenders located 5km south of Windsor.

The married mother of two is charged with accessing/modifying restricted computer data, misconduct as the holder of a public office and engaging in an intimate relationship with an inmate.

The Daily Telegraph understands the two corrective staffers are best friends, to the point that they even sport matching tattoos.

Elguindy was arrested last month by the Corrective Services Investigation Unit arm of the NSW Police Force.

Police sources said it would be alleged that Clavell and Elguindy confided in each other about their illicit affairs.

Elguindy is currently out on police bail and is due to face Penrith Local Court on May 29.

In a statement, Corrective Services NSW described relationships between staff and inmates as “unacceptable and illegal”.

“Corrective Services NSW is aware two staff members have been charged for various offences,” a spokesperson said.

“Inappropriate relationships between staff and inmates are unacceptable and illegal. Courts may impose a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment.

“All staff complete mandatory training in professional boundaries between inmates and staff to maintain the safety and security of our correctional centres.”