Hannah Angwaba

Hannah Angwaba Jailed for Smuggling Contraband in Aid of Paedophile Inmate

In June 2024, Hannah Angwaba, a 30-year-old prison officer at HMP Forest Bank in Greater Manchester, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for her role in smuggling prohibited items into the facility. During a romantic relationship with convicted paedophile Anton McPherson, Angwaba concealed drugs, tobacco, and mobile phones in her braided hair to bypass security checks. This grave misconduct not only facilitated criminal activity but also directly endangered the prison's vulnerable population, including other inmates.

The scheme was exposed through vigilant prison surveillance and intelligence, leading to Angwaba's arrest. Court proceedings revealed the extent of her involvement, driven by her personal entanglement with McPherson, who was already serving time for child sex offences. The smuggling operation allowed McPherson continued access to illicit goods, exacerbating risks within the Category C prison.

• Angwaba's conviction underscores the intersection of corruption and sexual exploitation in prisons, as detailed in Channel 4's UK Prisons - Sex, Drugs & Corruption: UNTOLD from June 2025.
• Her actions contributed to the 1,624 reported security breaches investigated between 2022 and 2024, per MoJ data.
• Over 40 female officers were dismissed in the last four years for similar violations, averaging ten annually.

The judge at sentencing emphasised the betrayal of trust and the specific harm posed by aiding a known sex offender. A Prison Service statement affirmed: 'We do not hesitate to take robust action' against such breaches. Angwaba's case has intensified scrutiny on relationships between staff and inmates, particularly those involving high-risk individuals like paedophiles, prompting enhanced counter-corruption measures.