A female prison officer and a convicted killer engaged in a sexual relationship while he served time for murder.

Kerianne Stephens, 26, admitted misconduct over her months-long tryst with inmate Louis Tate.

Stephens was working as a prison officer at HMP Swaleside - a Category B men's prison on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent - where Tate was being held.

Tate was jailed for life in 2010 for running down father-of-three Garry Frater near his home in Edgware.

Mr Frater, 32, had been on a night out in Watford with friends when he deliberately run over by Tate in in De Havilland Road on May 30 2009.

Mr Frater was taken to hospital but he died from his injuries.

In October 2010, Tate, of Southall, who first came into contact with Mr Frater in Watford on the night he ran him over, was sentenced to a minimum of 18 years in prison for Mr Frater's murder.

Read more: Man sentenced to life for Garry Frater murder

Appearing at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday, prison officer Stephens admitted having a sexual relationship with Tate between September 2018 and January 2019.

She pleaded guilty to a charge of misconduct in a judicial or public office.

Stephens, of Woodlands Road in Aylesford, Kent, appeared in court wearing a black dress with her ginger hair in a ponytail.

Watford Observer:

Credit: PA

Tate, 34, also appeared in court to answer an allegation that he sent text messages and made calls from inside his single prison cell.

He wore a grey jumper and glasses as he stood in the dock and pleaded guilty to the charge of sending unauthorised transmissions from inside HMP Swaleside.

He was moved to another prison after their relationship was revealed.

The Daily Mail has reported Tate is currently being held in custody at The Mount prison in Bovingdon.

Prosecutor Maria Karaiskos said the misconduct charge against Stephens was "very serious".

Stephens was also charged with making unauthorised transmissions from inside a prison, to which she pleaded not guilty.

Ms Karaiskos informed the court this was not an acceptable plea to the Crown and the case is currently listed for trial next year.

Tate is due to be sentenced on October 19 at the same court.