Ellis Eyles became the subject of widespread attention in February 2026 after the former prison officer was sentenced to eight months in prison for misconduct in public office. Her case centered on an inappropriate relationship with convicted murderer Mitchell Ingham while she was working at HMP Deerbolt in County Durham.
The case came to light after prison anti-corruption officers discovered an illicit mobile phone during a cell search in June 2023. A subsequent investigation by the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit found that Eyles and Ingham had communicated through messages and FaceTime calls while he was serving a life sentence.
The story has attracted attention because it involved a prison employee crossing professional boundaries with an inmate and, according to the prosecution case, passing on information about another prisoner. Eyles later pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office and received a custodial sentence at Durham Crown Court.
Who Is Ellis Eyles?
Ellis Eyles is a former prison officer from Darlington who worked at HMP Deerbolt, a prison near Barnard Castle in County Durham.
Her name became publicly known because of the criminal proceedings arising from her contact with Mitchell Ingham, a prisoner serving a life sentence for murder. At the time of the conduct that led to the investigation, Eyles was 21, according to court reporting. The North East Regional Organised Crime Unit identified her as 24 when she was sentenced in February 2026.
Eyles was no longer working for the Prison Service by the time of her sentencing. ITV reported that she had subsequently found employment with a bank after leaving the prison service. Her defense barrister also described her as having an “incredible work ethic” and referred to an incident in which she helped a bank customer avoid further losses in a romantic scam.
Her case is primarily known through the court proceedings and the official investigation rather than through a public entertainment or media career.
Ellis Eyles and HMP Deerbolt
HMP Deerbolt is a prison in County Durham where Eyles worked as a prison officer. Her role placed her in a position of responsibility within the prison environment, making professional boundaries with prisoners an important part of her duties.
The events that led to her conviction occurred in 2023. According to the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit, Eyles was arrested in July that year after investigators uncovered her communications with Ingham. She was later charged with offenses including misconduct in public office and illicit communication.
The investigation began when anti-corruption officers at HMP Deerbolt carried out a proactive cell search in June 2023. During that search, officers recovered an illicit mobile phone. Analysis of the device subsequently revealed communications between Eyles and Ingham.
The discovery turned what might initially have appeared to be an internal prison disciplinary matter into a criminal investigation.
How the Investigation Started
The mobile phone found inside the prison proved central to the investigation.
According to police, Eyles and Ingham had been communicating through messages and FaceTime calls. Investigators examined the phone and established the connection between the prisoner and the officer.
ITV reported that the pair had been in contact during June and July 2023. Prosecutor Antonia Adie told Durham Crown Court that phone analysis showed exchanges involving contact information and addresses. The prosecution also presented evidence of messages that demonstrated the personal nature of their relationship.
One FaceTime call lasted 37 minutes, according to the court reporting.
The investigation was conducted jointly by prison anti-corruption officers and the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit. That partnership ultimately led to charges against both Eyles and Ingham.
Ellis Eyles and Mitchell Ingham
The central relationship in the case was between Eyles and Mitchell Ingham, who was an inmate at HMP Deerbolt.
Court reporting described the relationship as romantic. Judge Richard Bennett told the court that it was clear Eyles had been involved in some form of romantic relationship with Ingham.
The prosecution presented messages exchanged between the two. In one message, Eyles expressed that she missed Ingham, while another exchange showed Ingham referring to her in an intimate manner. The communications were discovered through the illicit phone recovered during the prison search.
The relationship became more serious from a legal and security perspective because the communications went beyond personal contact.
According to the prosecution, Ingham asked Eyles about the location of another prisoner. The court heard that he had indicated he wanted to harm that inmate. Eyles responded with information about where the prisoner was being held within the prison.
That element of the case became particularly significant when the court considered the seriousness of her misconduct.
What Did Ellis Eyles Do?
Eyles admitted one count of misconduct in public office.
The prosecution case was that she maintained an inappropriate relationship with Ingham and supplied information to him about another prisoner. The information concerned the location of an inmate whom Ingham wanted to harm, according to evidence presented at Durham Crown Court.
The relationship itself breached the professional boundaries expected of a prison officer. Passing information about another prisoner added a serious security dimension to the misconduct.
Judge Bennett said the conduct affected Eyles’ colleagues and undermined public confidence in the Prison Service. He also concluded that the seriousness of the offense meant the sentence could not be suspended.
The North East Regional Organised Crime Unit said Eyles and Ingham both pleaded guilty to the offenses with which they were charged.
Why Was Ellis Eyles Sentenced to Prison?
Eyles was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment at Durham Crown Court in February 2026.
The sentence followed her guilty plea to misconduct in public office. The court considered the nature of the relationship, the information she passed to Ingham and the effect of her conduct on the integrity of the prison service.
Judge Richard Bennett concluded that a prison sentence was necessary. His decision meant that Eyles would serve time in custody rather than receive a suspended sentence.
The case demonstrated how misconduct involving prison employees can carry criminal consequences when an officer abuses the trust and responsibilities attached to the position.
Ellis Eyles’ Defense in Court
Eyles’ defense presented her as a young and inexperienced employee who became involved in a serious situation.
Her barrister, Robert Mochrie, described her as immature when she began working in the prison service. He told the court that she had completed only around six weeks of training before the events in question, with part of that training covering anti-corruption procedures.
The defense also argued that Eyles had been manipulated by Ingham.
Her barrister described her as someone of previously good character who had made a serious mistake in the context of the relationship. The defense also highlighted her later employment at a bank and her conduct there.
Those arguments were considered alongside the seriousness of the offense before the judge imposed the eight-month sentence.
When Was Ellis Eyles Arrested?
Eyles was arrested in July 2023 after the discovery of the illicit phone at HMP Deerbolt the previous month.
The North East Regional Organised Crime Unit said the investigation began after the phone was recovered during a proactive search by HMP Deerbolt anti-corruption officers in June 2023. Investigators subsequently established that Eyles had been communicating with Ingham.
The investigation continued before criminal charges were brought.
Eyles was eventually prosecuted for misconduct in public office and illicit communication. She ultimately pleaded guilty to the misconduct charge that resulted in her eight-month prison sentence.
What Happened to Mitchell Ingham?
Mitchell Ingham was also prosecuted in connection with the illicit phone.
The North East Regional Organised Crime Unit reported that he was charged with offenses relating to possessing and using a mobile phone while in prison. He received an additional nine-month prison sentence in January 2026.
That sentence was separate from the life sentence he was already serving for murder.
According to police, Ingham must serve a minimum of 14 years behind bars under that life sentence. His involvement with Eyles therefore resulted in additional legal consequences while he remained in custody.
What Happened to Ellis Eyles After Leaving the Prison Service?
By the time of her sentencing, Eyles was no longer employed as a prison officer.
ITV reported that she had moved into employment with a bank after leaving the Prison Service. Her defense highlighted her conduct in that role, including an incident in which she helped a customer who had been targeted by a romantic scam.
Her later employment formed part of the mitigation presented to the court, but it did not prevent the judge from imposing an immediate prison sentence.
The eight-month sentence marked the legal outcome of the misconduct case.
Ellis Eyles’ Personal Life
Public reporting about Ellis Eyles focuses overwhelmingly on the prison case and her relationship with Mitchell Ingham.
The court heard evidence about the nature of their relationship because it was directly connected to the misconduct charge. Beyond those details, there is little reason to extend the story into unrelated aspects of her private life.
Information about her family, childhood, education and wider personal relationships has not formed a significant part of the reported proceedings. Those details are therefore not necessary to understanding the case.
Ellis Eyles’ Physical Appearance
Images of Eyles were published by news organizations during coverage of her court appearance, but physical appearance was not a relevant part of the legal case.
There is no meaningful public record supporting details such as her height or other personal measurements, so those details are not included here.
Ellis Eyles’ Net Worth
There is no credible public reporting establishing Ellis Eyles’ net worth.
Her previous employment in the Prison Service and later work in banking do not provide enough information to calculate a reliable personal wealth figure. Any specific net worth estimate would therefore be speculative.
Key Facts About Ellis Eyles
- Ellis Eyles is a former prison officer from Darlington.
- She worked at HMP Deerbolt in County Durham.
- She was 21 at the time of the conduct described in court reports.
- An illicit mobile phone discovered during a June 2023 prison search helped expose her communications with inmate Mitchell Ingham.
- Investigators found evidence of messages and FaceTime calls between Eyles and Ingham.
- The prosecution said she gave Ingham information about another prisoner he wanted to harm.
- Eyles pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office.
- She was sentenced to eight months in prison at Durham Crown Court in February 2026.
- Ingham separately received an additional nine-month sentence related to possession and use of a mobile phone in prison.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ellis Eyles
Who is Ellis Eyles?
Ellis Eyles is a former prison officer from Darlington who worked at HMP Deerbolt in County Durham. She became known publicly after being prosecuted for misconduct in public office involving her contact with prisoner Mitchell Ingham.
Why was Ellis Eyles jailed?
Eyles was jailed after pleading guilty to misconduct in public office. The case involved an inappropriate relationship with inmate Mitchell Ingham and the passing of information about another prisoner. She received an eight-month prison sentence.
How long was Ellis Eyles sentenced to prison for?
Ellis Eyles was sentenced to eight months in prison at Durham Crown Court in February 2026.
Where did Ellis Eyles work?
Eyles worked as a prison officer at HMP Deerbolt near Barnard Castle in County Durham.
How was the relationship between Ellis Eyles and Mitchell Ingham discovered?
The relationship came to light after HMP Deerbolt anti-corruption officers found an illicit mobile phone during a cell search in June 2023. Investigators later found communications between Eyles and Ingham on the device.
What happened to Mitchell Ingham?
Ingham was already serving a life sentence for murder. He later received another nine-month prison sentence for offenses connected with possessing and using a mobile phone while incarcerated.
Was Ellis Eyles still a prison officer when she was sentenced?
No. By the time of her February 2026 sentencing, Eyles had left the Prison Service. ITV reported that she had subsequently worked for a bank.
Conclusion
Ellis Eyles’ story became a national news story because a prison officer crossed professional boundaries with an inmate and became involved in conduct that resulted in a criminal conviction.
The case began with the discovery of an illicit phone at HMP Deerbolt in June 2023. Investigators then uncovered communications between Eyles and Mitchell Ingham, including personal messages and video calls. The prosecution also established that Eyles had provided information about another prisoner whom Ingham wanted to harm.
Eyles pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office and was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment at Durham Crown Court in February 2026. The case ultimately highlighted the serious consequences that can follow when a person in a position of responsibility breaches professional boundaries inside a prison.
