Prison nurse, 25, who had fling with drugs gang member is struck off
A PRISON nurse who had an affair with a love rat inmate has been struck off.
Elyse Hibbs, 25, was jailed last year over the fling with drug dealer Harri Pullen after meeting at HMP Parc in Bridgend, Wales.
She has now been banned from treating patients for 12 months following a hearing at the Nursing Midwifery Council.
But she could practice nursing again once the order is lifted, the panel ruled.
Hibbs worked at the prison from September 2018 and met Pullen when she gave him medical treatment.
Pullen was jailed for five years in 2019 over his role in a drug network that flooded South Wales with cocaine and heroin.
He was handed a further four years and nine months after a phone was found smuggled up his backside while being transferred in preparation for his release.
After concerns were raised over his behaviour, Pullen was moved to HMP Manchester in May 2021.
The following month, he got his mum and a pal to track down Hibbs on Instagram.
She gave them her number and over the next five months, they exchanged “flirtatious” texts and calls.
Hibbs was jailed for six months after she admitted misconduct in a public office.
The nurse claimed she was “pressurised” into flirting with the lag, who was described as a “particularly manipulative individual”.
Recorder of Cardiff Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, told Hibbs: “You knew what you were doing was wrong, you had training but nevertheless you went ahead and formed what was clearly an emotional relationship with this prisoner.
“Although you were young you held a position of responsibility as a nurse and as a member of prison staff. You failed to report initial contact despite advice from a colleague and training you had had.
“You engaged in flirtatious relationship initially, you failed to report the on-going contact and you failed to report that this inmate had upon him and in custody an unlawful device.”