How guard’s love letter exposed jail romance

“Please be so careful what you say to (London’s Mother) about me over the phone and make sure she is too,” she said.“I don’t know if you truly understand the risks and consequences I am taking for you.She pondered: “I hope I am right this time.”But the path she was already travelling down almost landed her in jail.She was this week convicted and sentenced, having pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a relationship with an inmate.What started as a jailhouse romance almost ended up with her behind the very bars she used to patrol as a NSW Correctives Services Officer.Sporting brown hair – newly dyed from the blonde locks she had shown off at previous court proceedings – she looked up at the sky and tears fell from her eyes to the ground as she was told that she would serve her sentence in the community.Her relationship with London – and its ultimate undoing – can be traced in evidence which was presented to the court and reveals the depth of the feelings they shared for each other.COREY GFFor five months from late 2019 until April last year, Goodwin and London carried on a secret relationship away from the prying eyes of her colleagues and his fellow inmates.According to a statement of agreed facts signed by Goodwin and tendered to the Burwood Local Court, they were boyfriend and girlfriend over that period.They struck up a relationship shortly after he was transferred from Lithgow jail.During their time together, they used a number of clandestine methods to converse – they used a third party to facilitate phone calls and carried on secret conversations over the prison intercom.They even used London’s mother – who had Goodwin listed in her phone as “Corey GF” – as an intermediary to pass messages.In early 2020, London was moved out of the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre at western Sydney’s Silverwater prison, where Goodwin worked as a guard, and into Long Bay prison.Four days later, she penned him a heartfelt letter, written in purple pen. As she explained, she knew London liked the colour purple.“London, or should I start saying Corey now? I think I kind of like London better to be honest, but whatever you prefer,” she said in the letter which was tendered to the court.At the time London was in jail for armed robbery offences and she spoke of their hope of being together when he was released.“I am Catholic and although I am not a heavy practising Catholic, I believe in God, as I believe you have to believe in something,” she said.“I still start every day with a prayer and gratitude. Today I am grateful for you and I will keep you in my prayers for the next five weeks.”She went on to say she was an “optimist” who believed in his ability to turn around his life and atone for his mistakes.“I’ll be there to help support and guide but the initial steps and the genuineness of actually wanting to change needs to come from within you,” she said.“I see a lot of good in you especially in those amazing blue eyes you have, I love them.”She signed off as “you already know.”But in an ominous postscript she added: “Send your reply to your mum and get her to get in contact with me and I will either go and collect it or let her know where to send it.”She finished by saying she wished he was out of jail by Valentine’s Day, but within months their relationship had fallen apart and their romance landed in handcuffs.THE OTHER MANWith London out of her immediate reach at Long Bay, Goodwin in the following months moved on to another man, Caleb Valeri.Valeri, an aspiring rapper and Rebels OMCG associate, and Goodwin began advertising their relationship after he was released from prison.Goodwin was stood down from her job and when the scandal hit the newspaper, it reached London’s ears.“Did you see the news?” an irate London asked his mother during an intercepted phone call.“Your girlfriend?” his mother replied.London continued: “Ma she was f***ing … some c*** got out and she was with him. And she got done. She’s a f***ing little dog.”Goodwin was later charged over her relationship with London.The prosecution pushed for her to be jailed, arguing she had endangered the jail she had been assigned to protect.London later told officers that she had performed oral sex on him five times inside a prison storeroom while she was supposed to be watching over him.When it came time for London to give evidence in court he was transported from Parklea Prison to Burwood Local Court.But during the sensational court hearing in June, he declined to take the stand against his ex.He refused to budge from his cells, even after repeated warnings from his lawyer about the penalties for contempt of court.“YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT HE’S GOING TO DO WITH ME”Police prosecutor Timothy George said that London had previously told officers he wouldn’t testify out of fear for his safety, with the court hearing that he had been hospitalised a month earlier with a broken jaw.“You don’t know what he’s going to do to me,“ London was said to have told Mr George.However, the court heard, London did not specify who “he” was.Ultimately, the Director of Public Prosecutions was forced to drop allegations that they had engaged in any sexual acts.As well, two further charges of unlawfully delivering items to an inmate – related to allegations she smuggled tobacco and chewing gum for London – were also dropped.Magistrate Daniel Reiss sentenced Goodwin to a 12-month community correction order, as well as 120 hours of community service.THE LETTERBelow is the full text of the letter written by Melissa Goodwin to Corey London while he was in jail.London, or should I start saying Corey now? I think I kind of like London better to be honest, but whatever you prefer.Five more weeks you think? I really hope you are right. I am Catholic and although I am not a heavy practising Catholic, I believe in God, as I believe you have to believe in something. I still start every day with a prayer and gratitude. Today I am grateful for you and I will keep you in my prayers for the next five weeks.I don’t even know where to begin with you. But I believe this makes you smile, makes you happy and brings you more hope, as well as something to look forward to when you get out.Firstly, I am writing in my purple uni pen as I know you like purple. I’ll wait until your (sic) out to do my nails purple so you can see them in real life.This letter isn’t to discuss your antics or why your (sic) in there or anything like that, we can do that when you’re out. I don’t want you thinking about that. I am an optimist, I always believe there is good in everyone, that the world is positive, that people can change and that everyone makes mistakes. What I want from you is for you to stay positive, smile, stay out of the “bizzo” as you call it and focus on all the changes you are going to make when you get out. I’ll be there to help support and guide but the initial steps and the genuineness of actually wanting to change needs to come from within you. I see a lot of good in you especially in those amazing blue eyes you have, I love them.I want to learn more about you, to know what I’m getting myself into. What can you tell me? I am not a judgmental person and I see good in everyone so don’t worry about that. If I did not trust you I would not be writing to you. From what I gather, you are kind, caring, sweet and would do anything for the people you love. You will make someone very happy one day.I think you’re handsome, and have so much potential but your protective nature and choice of friends gets you in trouble. I know in there you need to be tough but you’ll never need to be like that with me. You have a big heart like me, it gets us into trouble. I read a lot of books and study a lot. Believe it or not, I was an angry kid with a short fuse & temper, I haven’t always been this way. But I trained my mind and studied like no tomorrow. I took ownership of my actions and have made changes. I’ll help you do the same. As you know there are two things I do not tolerate, liars and being mocked. I don’t care what you did. Own up, take responsibility and grow. Anyway, enough of my criminological studies on you lol.As much as I want to talk to you and hear your voice, it’s better this way. I can wait for you, my promises mean something. But I need a time frame. It’s not to say that if it hits the date then that’s it. Just something to look forward to. Can you please get your mum to msg me updates on you? If you want me to, I’ll even be there to get you when you get released. Do you drive, or have a car or can you drive manual? My car’s manual, I’ll take you wherever you want to go.I don’t want to tell you to (sic) much about me here for obvious reasons. But ask me anything you want. I’ll answer. Whatever is unanswered, I’ll answer when you are out.I hope this makes you happy and smile. I hope your (sic) doing well. Remember, stay positive, look at all the things you have to look forward to when you are out. Promise me these last few weeks you will keep your head down, swallow your pride and STAY OUT OF THE BIZZO AND TROUBLE. Nothing is worth it anymore. In my opinion the only thing worth it is what you have waiting for you.Be kind, be humble, be loyal. Good things to come. Miss you long time.You already knowPS Send your reply to your mum and get her to get in contact with me and I will either go and collect it or let her know where to send it. Please be so careful what you say to her about me over the phone and make sure she is too. I don’t know if you truly understand the risks and consequences I am taking for you. I hope I am right this time.I am off to finish my uni assignment and train, both huge parts of my life. I am a big believer in accepting all of someone or none of them. I hope that shows the type of person I am.Miss you heaps, counting down the days, if only you were out before Valentine’s Day! Via news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://www.news.com.au