A PRISON officer with more than two decades’ service groped a young barmaid after “fake crying” and telling her she was nicer than his wife, a court has heard.

Michael Gardner, aged 46, was working at HMP Parc in Bridgend at the time of the incident in March last year. The Category B prison houses many inmates from Pembrokeshire and across South Wales. Gardner has since lost his job.

Swansea Crown Court heard Gardner had gone to a bar in the Neath area after watching a rugby match and appeared intoxicated. Prosecutor Ashanti-Jade Walton said Gardner began chatting to the barmaid and became emotional after his wife, who entered the bar shortly after him, attempted to get him to leave.

After his wife left, Gardner told the barmaid that his partner was “horrible”, began fake crying, and tried to hug her. He went on to tell her she was “nicer” than his wife and said he was going to go home with her that night.

The court was told the barmaid alerted her manager to what was happening, and a concerned customer intervened to check if she was alright.

Later in the evening, Gardner grabbed the barmaid’s left buttock and squeezed it. The bar manager ordered him to leave, but Gardner responded by becoming abusive and aggressive, shouting at staff and customers who tried to step in.

Police were called to the scene and found Gardner heavily intoxicated. Officers noted that his eyes were glazed and he was slurring his words. Upon arrest, he was found to be in possession of the bar’s electronic card reader machine.

Gardner, of School Road, Crynant, Neath, pleaded guilty to sexual assault on the day he was due to stand trial. He had previously admitted theft of the card reader at magistrates’ court. He had no prior convictions.

The judge described Gardner’s behaviour as “nothing short of utterly disgraceful and extremely seedy,” adding that the incident must have been “humiliating and embarrassing” for the victim.

David Singh, defending, said Gardner had been a prison officer for 21 years but was on sick leave for mental health issues at the time. He told the court Gardner had since accepted he was an alcoholic and had been sober for around 200 days. He described his client as “absolutely mortified” by his actions and said that while his wife remained supportive, their relationship had been significantly damaged.

Gardner was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He must also complete 150 hours of unpaid work, attend a rehabilitation programme, and pay £500 in compensation to the victim. He will be registered as a sex offender for 10 years.