A disgraced prison psychologist is allowed to return to work after building a relationship with two inmates and sending them a series of sexually charged text messages.
Mother-of-four Sarah-Jane Lodington was found guilty of two counts of abuse of office, one charge of taking a prohibited thing into a corrections service, and one charge of disclosing confidential information.
She admitted having ‘an inappropriate personal relationship with two inmates’, Allen Milos and David Gardiner, at Palen Creek Correctional Centre, south-west of Brisbane.
She sent them text messages, kissed and hugged them and had sex with Gardiner after his release from prison in December 2019.
Mother-of-four Sarah-Jane Lodington had inappropriate relationships with two inmates at a Queensland prison while she was a psychologist. She is pictured in a selfie reportedly sent to inmate David Gardiner in 2019
Mother-of-four Sarah-Jane Lodington is photographed outside her Gold Coast home in 2022
Her registration as a psychologist was suspended for four years in October 2019.
In a Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal decision handed down in December and published on Tuesday, judicial member Ray Rinaudo said any further suspension would be “punishable”.
He said Lodington can return to work once she has an “approved training location.”
‘It is noted that a reprimand is not a trivial punishment; it has the potential for serious adverse consequences for a professional person,” he said.
‘These sanctions sought include that (Lodington) will be subject to a range of conditions and it must be said that the Tribunal is comforted by the fact that (Lodington) will continue to receive competent guidance and treatment at its treating practitioners in the conditions stated in the list of conditions.’
The photo shows some texts Lodington shared with former inmate David Gardiner
Another text that Lodington shared with Gardiner is seen. In 2019, she was suspended as a registered psychologist for four years
Under Lodington’s terms, she will have to work with a mentor for 32 hours, to be completed in 18 months.
Although she admitted she had failed to respect professional boundaries with the two inmates, Lodington denied having sex with them while they were behind bars.
The tribunal was previously shown a series of explicit messages that officials said were exchanged between Lodington and the prisoners.
It was claimed that Lodington became involved in an affair with Gardiner in 2018 after her relationship with convicted drug trafficker Milos allegedly ended just months earlier.
Gardiner was imprisoned for a violent crime.
Using a phone allegedly given to him by Lodington, Gardiner sent her half-naked photos of herself during their steamy 18-day affair.
On February 9, 2019, Lodington had saved Gardiner’s number under the nickname ‘My love’ when he texted her ‘I’ll wait for U’.
In one text, Lodington wrote, “I’m floating through life now and I’m forgetful, which is because I’m totally obsessed with you!”
“I’m so excited about our future and making precious bubba with you,” she said in another post.
Lodington reportedly became involved in an affair with David Gardiner (pictured) after her relationship with convicted drug trafficker Milos reportedly ended just months earlier in 2018
That same day at 5pm she allegedly texted him: ‘F*** the world and everyone in it. We have each other, that’s all that matters.’
She also texted Gardiner: “You are the epitome of what I think it means to be a man and you make me feel safe, protected, loved and I am so blessed to be your girl.”
On another occasion, she appeared to be thinking about having sex with him when she reportedly wrote: ‘I enjoyed last night so much… I think you are a great lover and I absolutely loved (too explicit)’.
“I’ve never had so much fun in my life and when I think about the fact that we were (too explicit) it blows my mind.”
Lodington was sentenced to two years’ probation on the charges, but no conviction was recorded.