A female prison officer has admitted having a sexual relationship with a convicted murderer.

Kerianne Stephens pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court to misconduct in a public office.

The offence took place between September 1 2018 and January 8 the following year.

Stephens, 26, of Woodlands Road, Aylesford was working as a prison officer at HMP Swaleside at the time.

She will go on trial in August 2021 on a separate charge of making and receiving phone calls and text messages inside the jail.

Bearded and bespectacled inmate Louis Tate, 34, pleaded guilty to the same charge.

Prosecutor Maria Karaiskos told the court that Tate is serving a life sentence after being convicted of murder in October 2010.

He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years for mowing down 32-year-old father-of-three Garry Frater.

Tate repeatedly drove over Mr Frater before fleeing.

Mr Frater and friends had been followed as they took a taxi home from a club in Watford.

Stephens was granted bail until the next hearing in October this year and Tate will be sentenced later.

Judge Philip Statman said it would be "unconscionable" for Tate to have to wait a full year before knowing his sentence.

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