The court heard Breen had received a week’s induction, including training on the codes of conduct which clearly prohibited relationships with prisoners.
Concerns were raised by a colleague after Breen accessed the prison database to find a photo of the inmate and then admitted she had slept with him during a trip to Liverpool.
The court heard how the prisoner, jailed for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, had met Breen while on home leave in the Merseyside-Cheshire area where they went for drinks before going back to her hotel room.
The pair exchanged hundreds of messages, and Breen also met his parents before her colleague reported the relationship to prison security, the court was told.
Messages found on the inmate’s prison-issued Nokia phone, including heart emojis and expressions of love, confirmed a romantic relationship.
Police seized the phone, and a note with Breen’s contact details was also found in the inmate’s cell.
Breen admitted to the “short-lived relationship”, saying some staff and prisoners were aware.
A police investigation also confirmed Breen had made several journeys to Liverpool in April, after the prisoner was released on licence in March 2022.
She initially gave no comment in interviews but later pleaded guilty before trial.