‘Very vulnerable’ prison officer avoids jail over relationship with inmate
A prison officer avoided an immediate prison sentence after becoming romantically involved with an inmate; It’s a relationship that a judge branded as more serious than “stupidity.”
Rosie Smith, 28, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday. In 2023 he was found guilty of misconduct in public office over his months-long relationship with Marli Casaletto while working at HMP Rochester.
The illicit relationship saw the pair make nearly 300 phone calls between January and November that year, as well as an undisclosed number of video calls found in screenshots on Smith’s phone. Casaletto, 32, facilitated this communication by using three different cell phones from inside the prison walls and dialing them to avoid detection.
Other details revealed in court included Smith’s connection to Casaletto’s mother and her apparent receipt of money from his father to buy a car. Handwritten letters found at Smith’s home address, some belonging to the prisoner and some penned by himself, included statements in which Smith called her “the love of my life” and “I can’t wait to see what our future holds.”
In messages to his own mother, Smith acknowledged the inappropriateness of his actions, writing: “It honestly doesn’t look good for me to say he’s in prison and not only does it look bad, I work there too.” He also expressed regret, adding: “I wish I had never worked where I worked and all this wouldn’t be a problem.”
Casaletto, of Uplands Road, Brighton, who was released from prison in May 2024, was given an eight-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months for transmitting unauthorized images or sounds by electronic communication from prison. Smith was also sentenced to prison for the same offence, with a concurrent sentence of nine months on the more serious misconduct charge.
Sentencing the pair, Judge Lee Harris said: “To say it was stupid would be an understatement, it was much worse than that. You both went into this relationship with your eyes open… and you knew what you were doing was wrong.”
Addressing Smith directly, the judge added: “You knew, or certainly should have known, what a tough job it was to be a prison officer. How important discipline is. You let yourself down, you let your colleagues down, you let everyone in that prison down. You jeopardized your safety and their safety.”
Smith, of The Street, Pluckley, Ashford, Kent, remained visibly emotional throughout the sentencing hearing. Judge Harris described his decision not to impose an immediate prison sentence as “an exceptional course of action for both of you for slightly different reasons.”
For Smith, he cited “very strong personal mitigation” and uncertainty about the care of his infant son, for whom he was the primary caregiver, stating that he had not committed a crime before and had no confidence that he would not reoffend. Her lawyer, Pamela Rose, described Smith as “a very vulnerable woman.”
The judge said the following about Casaletto, who lives, works and is engaged with his mother: “The corner you turn is enough for me to give you a chance. This is a great chance and I accept it, do not disappoint me, do not disappoint yourself.” His lawyer, Abbey Robertson, told the court Casaletto was trying to rebuild his life and be a positive role model for his children.
Both Casaletto and Smith had admitted their crimes at previous hearings.
