A Sheppey prison worker who had a secret relationship with a gangster serving life for murder is facing jail.

Kathryn Finch, 37, enjoyed dozens of illicit phone conversations with Carl Gordon while she was employed as an clerk at HMP Swaleside in Eastchurch.

Former gym instructor Gordon, now 27, was locked up in 2006 after stabbing Michael Campbell, 21, in Turnham Green, west London after a row over a vandalised car.

During his time at the category B prison, Gordon joined forces with 58-year-old arms dealer Paul Alexander - who supplied weapons to the gang behind the murder of schoolboy Rhys Jones - to run an underworld gun ring from behind bars.

Gordon and Finch, of Bramley Way, Eastchurch, exchanged 25 phone calls and more than 60 text messages between April 13, 2011, and May 31, 2011 at Swaleside.

She admitted a single charge of unauthorised transmission of an image of sound by electronic communication from within a prison at Southwark Crown Court.

Finch had been due to stand trial charged with smuggling mobile phones for convicts in exchange for cash.

She was alleged to have offered her services to at least three male prisoners who were serving substantial sentences.

But prosecutors dropped four charges of misconduct in a public office and two further counts of conveying a list B article in or out of prison. Finch denied all six counts.

Prosecutor Adam King told the court: "There were 11 calls and 31 text messages from Mrs Finch to Carl Gordon.

"There were 14 calls and 32 text messages from Gordon to Mrs Finch.

"Gordon has been convicted of a firearms conspiracy going on during that time using that mobile phone."

Finch, who appeared in court wearing grey trousers, a pink vest and grey short-sleeved cardigan exposing a dolphin tattoo on her upper arm, faces a maximum prison sentence of two years.

Adjourning sentence for reports, Judge Peter Testar said: "I don't know what is the right sentence in your case, it's a serious breach of duty for somebody who is employed in prison so the court has to consider all options.

"You must not think I'm making any sort of promises to you or giving you any sort of indication as to what sentence will be by getting a pre-sentence report.

"You mustn't think I'm making any promises to you by allowing you to stay on bail."

Finch is due to be sentenced on Thursday, June 5.

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