Ravenhall prison guard sacked over relationship with rapist Taha Sepehrnia

A female guard has been sacked from Melbourne’s Ravenhall prison over her relationship with a convicted rapist.

The relationship between the Ravenhall prison guard and Taha Sepehrnia was picked up through phone conversations. Picture: AAP

A female prison officer has been sacked over her links to a jailed criminal.

The Herald Sun has been told there had been major concerns about the woman’s relationship with convicted rapist Taha Sepehrnia.

She had been working at Ravenhall Correctional Centre in Melbourne’s western suburbs where Sepehrnia was doing a minimum nine years.

He pleaded guilty in 2022 to two charges of rape, three of making threats to kill, one of being a prohibited person possessing an imitation firearm and one of recklessly causing injury.

It is believed the connection between the officer and Sepehrnia was detected through phone conversations.

Their contact was not physical.

The woman was immediately dismissed when the issue became known.

Inappropriate contact between staff and inmates is viewed as a major breach in the prison system.

It carries the risk of workers being compromised and threatening security.

Sepehrnia has since been transferred to another prison.

Victoria Police has been alerted to the situation.

GEO Group Australia, which runs Ravenhall, confirmed the officer had been moved on.

“Following the detection of an inappropriate association between a GEO staff member and a person in custody at Ravenhall Correctional Centre, GEO terminated the staff member’s employment. As the matter is subject to further investigation, GEO cannot comment further,” a company statement said.

Ravenhall, which opened in 2017, is rated as medium security.

The Corrections Victoria website states it is Victoria’s “most technically advanced prison”.