A prison officer has appeared in court charged with misconduct after allegedly having sex with an inmate in a cell.

Linda De Sousa Abreu, 30, of Fulham, south-west London, was charged after a video of the alleged activity was shared on social media.

Appearing in the glass-fronted dock at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court wearing all grey, she spoke only to confirm her name, address and date of birth.

A police investigation was launched on Friday after officers were made aware of a video said to have been filmed inside HMP Wandsworth in south London.

An arrest was made later that day and De Sousa Abreu was charged with misconduct in public office on Saturday, police added.

The charge states that De Sousa Abreu “wilfully and without reasonable excuse or justification misconducted yourself in a way which amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust in the office holder by engaging in a sexual act with a prisoner in a prison cell”.

It is alleged to have happened at Wandsworth between June 26-28.

The mother was arrested at Heathrow Airport, the court heard, and was due to catch a flight to Madrid having notified the prison of her travel plans.