Linda Katherine De Sousa Abreu, 30, appeared in custody at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court in west London, where she bailed to appear at Isleworth Crown Court on July 29.
However, the Portuguese national insists she was not fleeing justice and had informed her prison bosses she was flying abroad.
De Sousa Abreu, who was described in court as a “young mother”, wore a police-issue light grey custody sweatshirt and bottoms during the twenty-five minute hearing.
The small courtroom was packed with reporters and camera crews surrounded the building waiting for De Sousa Abreu to leave.
Her dark hair, which sports a streak of blonde highlights on the left side, was tied up and she only spoke to give her name, date of birth and address and nod “okay” to the magistrates when granted bail.
De Sousa Abreu repeatedly closed her eyes and appeared to take deep breaths when she first entered the secure security glass-panelled dock and heard the charge read to her, but showed no other emotion.
She has been charged with one count of wilfully misconducting herself or wilfully neglecting to perform her duty while the holder of a public office between June 26 and 28, this year.
Namely, that while employed in public office as a HMP Wandsworth Prison Officer wilfully and without reasonable excuse or justification misconducted herself in a way which amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust in the office holder by engaging in a sexual act with a prisoner in a prison cell, contrary to Common Law.
She walked free from court on bail on condition she sleeps every night at her half a million pound two-bedroom purpose-built leasehold flat at Kenneth Younger House, Clem Attlee Court, Lillie Road, Fulham.
De Sousa Abreu must also surrender her Portuguese passport which has already been seized by police; not apply for or be in possession of any travel documents; surrender her Portuguese government-issued identity card; not enter any UK travel port and obey an electronically-tagged night time curfew between 9pm and 7am.
“There is a real risk of failing to surrender in that there are links, contacts and means to travel abroad,” said prosecutor Niamh McDonagh, who did not object to bail as long as there were strict conditions.
“Ms De Sousa Abreu was apprehended at Heathrow Airport, where she was for a flight to Madrid. I believe she has family there.
“Her Portuguese passport was seized by the police when she was apprehended. She is a Portuguese national, with a Portuguese passport.”
De Sousa Abreu’s lawyer Gayathri Yogarajah told the court: “There are concerns that she will fail to surrender, but there was no intention of fleeing. She contacted the prison to say she was travelling outside the country and she is a young mother.”
The charge is indictable-only to the Crown Court and De Sousa Abreu was a not asked to enter a plea.
“These matters before us today are indictable only so have to be heard at the Crown Court,” announced bench Chairwoman Julie Cooke. “It is Isleworth Crown Court on July 29.”
De Sousa Abreu was arrested last Friday after footage from a cell at HMP Wandsworth was circulated on the internet and she was charged on Saturday.
The HMP Wandsworth footage featured a bearded prisoner, wearing dark grey shorts and a light grey t-shirt seemingly engaged in sexual activity with a dark-haired uniformed female prison officer.
The footage was apparently recorded in the cell by another inmate, who gives a running commentary.
HMP Wandsworth in south-west London is a Category ‘B’ Victorian prison with a 1,371 capacity, which opened in 1851.
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