A woman who previously worked as a prison officer has confessed to making unauthorized phone calls to a violent inmate incarcerated for a grievous machete assault.
Heather Pinchbeck, 28, has admitted to engaging in secret communications with Joseph Hardy, 31, while she was employed as a guard at HMP Dovegate, a Category B prison facility in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. Hardy, a criminal convicted of causing grievous bodily harm (GBH), began serving a 14-year sentence in 2017 after perpetrating a violent assault that resulted in severe injury to his victim’s leg.
During a court session at Birmingham Crown Court, the 28-year-old ex-prison officer pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office. The misconduct occurred between February and March 2023, involving her deliberate communication with a prisoner utilizing a prohibited mobile phone.
The prosecution, represented by Antonie Muller, did not provide additional specifics but mentioned the possibility of addressing a second charge during the sentencing phase. Pinchbeck’s legal representatives requested and were granted approval by the judge to submit a pre-sentencing report before her sentencing hearing scheduled for January 9, 2026.
In addition to Pinchbeck’s misconduct, Hardy faces charges related to illicit communications and possession of a mobile device while being detained. Pinchbeck, who presently works at a public relations agency, was described as having started her career at HM Prison Service as a Prison Offender Manager.
Before his incarceration in December 2017, the court was informed that Hardy had engaged in a confrontation with the victim just before perpetrating the assault. The prosecution detailed how Hardy retrieved a machete from his vehicle, brandished it, and used it to attack the man at a location on May 4, 2017, during lunchtime.
Emergency medical personnel arrived at the scene, observing severe injuries to the victim’s left leg, with visible bone protrusion, and lacerations on his head. Subsequently, the victim’s leg was nearly severed, necessitating amputation above the knee six days later. Medical examinations further revealed a fractured skull suffered by the victim.
During the sentencing, Judge David Stockdale QC condemned Hardy’s actions as both “brutal” and “cowardly,” emphasizing the gravity of the sustained assault on an unarmed and defenseless individual.