CCTV exposes probation officer’s secret relationship with convicted killer
A former probation officer has been jailed after CCTV footage revealed she pursued a secret relationship with a convicted murderer, including being caught on camera kissing him during a prison visit.
Bethany Dent‑Reynolds, 27, was sentenced to eight months in prison after developing what prosecutors described as an “inappropriate” relationship with inmate Kieran Robinson.
The pair first met while Dent-Reynolds worked at HMP Belmarsh in southeast London, where Robinson was serving a 23-year sentence for the 2020 fatal stabbing of teenager Donnell Rhule, committed alongside his cousin Sean Robinson.
Jurors at Woolwich Crown Court heard that the relationship became romantic only after Dent-Reynolds transferred to a new probation role at HMP Brixton, about an hour away. Robinson reportedly contacted her on social media, after which she made several prison visits. They exchanged numerous explicit messages and calls.
Prosecutors said Dent-Reynolds also accessed restricted probation records related to Robinson’s murder case and discussed them with him, telling him his co-defendants had “all stuck it on you.”
Robinson was later moved to HMP Lowdham Grange in Nottinghamshire, roughly three hours north of London, where Dent-Reynolds continued to visit him. During one visit, CCTV at the Category B facility captured the pair embracing and kissing before sitting together on adjacent sofas. They were also seen holding hands while talking, even as another person approached.
At sentencing, prosecutor Sam Willis told the court: “In a nutshell, while working for His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, the defendant engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a serving prisoner.” He added that analysis of her phone uncovered numerous WhatsApp exchanges of a sexual nature, including images and a request from Robinson for a “favor.”
Messages presented in court also showed Dent-Reynolds sharing confidential case details, telling Robinson that everyone else involved had given statements except him.
Defence lawyer Chantelle Stocks said her client had previously been of “impeccable good character” and emphasized there was no evidence of in-person sexual activity beyond affectionate contact. She argued the exchanges were largely trivial and had minimal impact.
However, the court found the relationship breached professional boundaries and compromised prison security. Dent-Reynolds was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment for misconduct related to the relationship.
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