Sarah Williams’ relationship with Elias Morgan was uncovered by murder victim Lenny ScottPatrick Edrich, Ben Haslam and Amy Walker Court reporter
17:50, 30 Aug 2025Updated 07:36, 31 Aug 2025
(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A prison officer’s affair with an inmate was exposed during the murder trial of a murdered dad.
Elias Morgan, 35, of Edge Hill, was this week unanimously found guilty of murdering former prison officer Lenny Scott following a trial at Preston Crown Court.
The former HMP Altcourse officer died, aged 33, after he was shot six times by the gunman outside a gym on Peel Road in Skelmersdale on February 8 last year. It came four years after the prison officer and dad-of-three exposed the illicit relationship between the then-serving prisoner and female prison guard Sarah Williams, the ECHO reports.
Mr Scott, of Prescot, was said to have refused a bribe of £1,500 in return for not reporting a phone which Morgan illegally held behind bars, and which contained evidence of the affair. Morgan, of Highgate Street, later apparently warned Mr Scott “I’ll bide my time, but I promise I will get you”.
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Morgan denied murder, telling the court he was at a house in Liverpool giving an associate a chow chow dog to take care of at the time of the shooting. However, an 11-person jury, made up of eight men and three women, convicted Morgan on, Friday, August 29 after five hours and 24 minutes of deliberations.
Lenny Scott(Image: PA)
The corrupt Williams’ actions began a domino effect, with a court hearing in 2023 how she had relationships with multiple Altcourse prisoners after starting her job at the prison in early 2020.
The former prison officer, of Kingsway, Widnes, was found to have communicated with prisoners whose mobile phones were recovered in cell searches, with the investigation being referred to the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit’s anti-corruption department. Officers arrested Williams at her home on July 8, 2020.
She was later charged with three counts of misconduct in a public office and one count of causing a computer to perform a function with intent to secure unauthorised access to data.
She appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on December 21 where she was sentenced to 18 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to the four charges.
Former prison officer Sarah Williams(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Williams was found to have had relationships with three prisoners, one of whom was Morgan, with the relationship having ripple effects that lasted years.
The jury heard Mr Scott was working as a prison officer at Altcourse when he found a phone in Morgan’s cell on March 26 2020.
The court heard not only was possession of the phone a criminal offence, but “Morgan knew there was evidence on it which would lead to the discovery of a sexual relationship between him and a female prison officer”, called Sarah Williams.
In the wake of the discovery of the phone, Morgan was said to have threatened Mr Scott by urging him to “balls up the paperwork” and offering a lucrative bribe.
Elias Morgan
But after Mr Scott refused, Morgan began a campaign of threats, making a gun gesture and telling him that his “home would be blown up with his family inside”.
The threats, which also included Morgan naming Mr Scott’s children, led the prison officer to call the police and tell a call handler “I’m in fear for my family’s life”.
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The court heard after the iPhone was examined it revealed “a sexual relationship” between Morgan and prison officer Williams.
Morgan will face a life sentence when he appears for sentence on Tuesday. Following the verdicts, Mr Scott’s parents Neil and Paula embraced the investigating officer detective chief inspector Lee Wilson.
Following the verdict, Lord Timpson, Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, said: “This was a truly shocking crime, and my thoughts remain with Mr Scott’s family, friends and former colleagues.
“We know this trial has been deeply distressing for many, and we remain committed to ensuring our brave prison officers get the support they need.
“We will always work hand in hand with police to protect staff and pursue the toughest punishments for those who seek to cause them harm.”