Inmate who had fling with prison officer and nurse at same time now on the run
An inmate who had flings with a prison officer and a jail nurse at the same time is now wanted by police – after going on the run.
Harri Pullen, 27, had been freed from prison, where he struck up his illicit romances, but is being hunted again over alleged drug dealing.
He had an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with prison nurse Elyse Hibbs, 27, and also repeatedly phoned prison officer Ruth Shmylo, 26, saying he loved her in a series of calls from his cells.
Gwent Police confirmed officers are hunting for Pullen – and that more women have now come into contact with officers after becoming involved in his life.
Four women have been arrested for allegedly helping him to escape.
A police spokersperon said: ‘Harri was last seen at around 3.45pm on Wednesday, March 26, outside the Grange University Hospital, Cwmbran where he had been taken following his arrest on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
‘Pullen left the Grange University Hospital car park after being picked up by someone in a black Vauxhall Insignia.
‘Four women, aged 28, 31 41, and 58, were later arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
‘The 58-year-old woman has since been released on police bail while the other three remain in police custody at this time.’
Shmylo was sacked from her job at HMP Parc in Bridgend and Pullen moved to another prison after officials at the G4S-run jail over their alleged affair.
Pullen was moved to HMP Manchester – also known as Strangeways – and added Shmylo to his approved calls list but their conversations were recorded by officials.
The calls, played to the court, included Pullen repeatedly telling her ‘I love you’.
The court heard complaints about her included ‘flirtatious’ behaviour with inmates and wearing ‘skin-tight trousers’ to work.
But the court heard she had previously made corruption reports of her own against other staff who were colluding with inmates to tamper with prisoner’s food.
Claire Wilks, defending, said Shmylo should have been treated as a whistleblower but was instead ‘hung out to dry’ by prison bosses and called ‘a grass’ by her colleagues and assaulted.
Ms Wilks said it was no surprise that given her previous treatment at the jail she wouldn’t report phone calls with Pullen as she feared the consequences.
Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe told the court that after being arrested Shmylo admitted she had phone sex with Pullen.
Mr Cobbe said: ‘She conceded during the course of her interview that she had had phone sex with the inmate.
‘She explained this was principally the inmate saying things to her, noting that “I was listening for the best part of it”.
‘That means she was actively engaging in phone sex with the inmate – or some of it.’
But Shmylo was cleared of misconduct in a public office following a nine-day trial in December 2023.
Hibbs was jailed after her relationship with Pullen while he was serving time for being part of a drugs gang.
The nurse claimed she was ‘pressurised’ into flirting with him – but a judge sent her to prison for six months.
After being released, Hobbs was handed a 12-month suspension order by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Qualified health worker Hibbs met the prisoner while giving him medical treatment in her jail and he contacted her on Instagram.
Cardiff Crown Court heard the two swapped messages on Instagram by contacting each other through an account held by the inmate’s friend.
Hibbs quit her post at HMP Parc in July 2021 and was arrested a week later and admitted exchanging messages with the prisoner.
She told police she was scared to end the contact after he had previously threatened her.
Adam Sharp, defending, said the prisoner was known within the system to be a ‘particularly manipulative individual’.
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