West Yorkshire prison officer admits sleeping with prisoner in marital home but denies sex affair in jail

Iain Cocks also rejected claims that he had sexually assaulted another inmate in her cell at HMP New Hall, near Wakefield.

-> Prison officer had sex with released inmate and groped her on waterbed while wife worked night shiftCocks did accept that he had met up with a third woman and had sex with her at his marital home after she was released on licence from the jail.

The 51-year-old is on trial at Leeds Crown Court where he is accused of two offences of misconduct in a public office and one of sexual assault.

Prosecutors allege Cocks had sex with an inmate against a laundry room washing machine, in her cell and in a staff room during a secret relationship lasting almost two years.

Cocks - whose wife also works at the prison - is also accused of engaging in flirtatious behaviour with another inmate before sexually assaulting her.

The offending is said to have taken place between June 2015 and May 2017.

Cocks's barrister, Rebecca Stevens, asked the defendant: "Was there ever any sexual contact with (the inmate) in the laundry room."

He replied: "No."

Ms Stevens asked: "Have you ever had any physical contact with her at all in there."

Cocks said: "No not at all."

-> Prison officer had sex with inmate on washing machineCocks also denied having any sexual contact with the woman in her cell.

The barrister asked: "Was there ever an occasion when you let (the inmate) out of her cell at night and had sex with her in the office."

He replied: "No"

Cocks accepted he took a former inmate back to his home in Barnsley and had sex with her while his wife was working a nightshift at the prison.

The jury has previously heard how Cocks and the woman had sex in the spare room and he also fondled her on the waterbed where he slept with his wife.

Ms Stevens said: "What, if any, conversation did you have about being a prison officer and her being a prison officer."

She said: "We both knew it was wrong but I liked her and she liked me a lot.

"I spoke to her and said 'if we do get on and this carried on, I am going to have to leave my job.'"

Cocks said he later confessed to his wife about having sex with the woman.

He described how they experienced troubled periods in the marriage and separated in November last year.

Cocks said: "I loved her during the period, I have always loved her and I still love her now."

He continued: "We are still close, we still speak and she still has a key to my house and is looking after my one remaining dog.

"She is there today looking after it and fully supports me."