October 7, 2022 2.01 pm This story is over 22 months old

Barrister strike puts sentencing of former Lincoln prison officer on hold

She has pleaded guilty to misconduct

Lincoln Prison. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The sentence of a former prison officer at HMP Lincoln who admitted a charge of misconduct in public office was today (Friday) delayed because of the barrister’s strike.

Emma Webster, 33, of Ermine East, Lincoln, had been due to learn her fate after pleading guilty to a single offence of misconduct in a judicial or public office during at a hearing last month.

Webster had been warned to expect a custodial term by Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight after she adjourned sentence for the preparation of a probation report.

However a hearing at Lincoln Crown Court was this morning told that Webster’s defence barrister was unavailable because of strike action by the Criminal Bar Association.

Judge Sjolin explained to Webster: “It wouldn’t be lawful to pass a sentence of this seriousness without representation.

“The upshot is it can’t go ahead today. We have fixed a new date when your barrister will be available.”

The misconduct took place between August 18, 2021 and November 14, 2021, when Webster was employed as an operational grade prison officer.

Stuart Lody, who defended Webster at the previous hearing, had asked for sentence to be adjourned for the preparation of a probation report, but said his client was realistic about the likely outcome.

Mr Lody told the court previously: “She is a mother of two young children.”

Judge Sjolin Knight originally agreed to adjourn sentence for six weeks but warned Webster that a custodial sentence was likely.

“I am making no promises,” Judge Sjolin Knight told Webster.

“Misconduct in public office is a very serious matter and normally results in prison for obvious reasons.”

Webster was granted unconditional bail until 18 October when her case was re-listed for sentence.