A man and a woman have been sentenced after admitting accessing unauthorised computer material which was used to 'threaten and intimidate' a prisoner.

Shane Davis, 36, of HMP Dovegate, and Lauren Leese, 30, of Trentham, both pleaded guilty to unauthorised accessing of computer material at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Monday (9 March).

Leese was employed as an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) for former Stoke-on-Trent-based charity Savana when she was arrested in September 2024. She denied the offence when interviewed.

Staffordshire Police explained that she "unlawfully obtained and shared sensitive personal information from a child victim of serious sexual offences" for six months in 2024.

Leese shared this information with Shane Davis, a prisoner at HMP Dovegate, who then used the information to "threaten and intimidate" a fellow prisoner.

Detective Inspector Lewis Haigh said: "Lauren Leese held a position of trust at responsibility with Savana, which she betrayed, letting down the victims she supported, her colleagues and the public.

"She was only supposed to access sensitive and confidential information when necessary to support and advocate for victims of serious crime and instead she passed information to Davis, who was on remand awaiting a trial after being charged with rape offences and who she sustained a relationship with whilst he was in prison."

Davis has been sentenced to 12 months to be served concurrently with his current sentence.

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Leese has been given a 12-month sentence, suspended for 18 months.