A prisoner who shot and killed a prison officer in retaliation for exposing his affair with a female officer has been sentenced to 45 years in prison, eligible for parole.

Elias Morgan, 35, gunned down father-of-three Lenny Scott outside of a gym in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, on February 8, 2024. 

Mr Scott, 33, had discovered a phone in the criminal’s former cell in HMP Altcourse, Liverpool, in March 2020, Preston Crown Court previously heard, 

The phone had evidence pertaining to Morgan’s sexual relationship with prison officer Sarah Williams, prosecutor Alex Leach KC said.

Initially, Morgan, of Edge Hill, tried to bribe Mr Scott to ‘b***s up the paperwork, offering him £1,500 not to report the find. 

The officer had refused to ignore the illegal phone and reported it, resulting in Morgan threatening the officer’s family and vowing, “I’ll bide my time,” while making a gun gesture.

This led to Morgan and Williams being charged, and from that point, Morgan declared he would get back at the officer, the court was informed.

Almost four years later, after serving his sentence and the officer being dismissed from the Prison Service for assaulting a prisoner, Morgan fulfilled his threat.

On February 8, last Mr Scott was ‘approached by a man wearing a high-visibility jacket and carrying a handgun’ as he left the gym. 

Morgan shot his victim with a 9mm handgun once in the head and five times in the body, before fleeing on an electric scooter.

He shot the man six times in the head and body, resulting in Lenny Scott’s death. Mr. Leech told the court that the evidence clearly indicated that the convict was the one who pulled the trigger.

He was arrested after detectives from Lancashire Police began investigating and uncovered the threats Morgan had made to his victim.

During the trial, it was heard Mr Scott reported receiving the threats from Morgan days after the phone was found. 

A ‘visibly frightened’ Mr Scott told his former partner that Morgan had told him that his ‘home would be blown up with his family inside’.

Four days later he told a police call handler: ‘I’m in fear for my family’s life.’

The jury learned that the officer had also notified the Prison Service of the threats, reporting that Morgan had warned him his family would suffer if he did not abandon the phone issue.

Instead the phone was examined and Morgan was charged with unauthorised possession of the mobile phone.

Williams, the officer with whom he had had a relationship, later admitted three offences of misconduct in a public office and a computer misuse offence.

Morgan denied any involvement in Mr Scott’s death but was convicted of murder by a jury following a nine-week trial last Friday.

Mr Justice Goose, sentencing, described the murder as a ‘carefully planned, revenge killing of a prison officer,’ who ‘was loved, respected and made his family proud.’

Morgan handed himself in to police after his name began circulating in connection with the shooting, but denied any involvement.

After Morgan’s name began circulating in connection with the shooting, he handed himself in to police, however, denied any involvement. Then, he was bailed while police gathered evidence.

It was revealed, by detectives tracing his phone and vehicle data, that Morgan’s spent weeks stalking his victim, learning his daily schedule before launching the cold-blooded attack.  

Morgan’s co-accused, Anthony Cleary, 29, from Liverpool, was found not guilty by the jury of murder and manslaughter.

Earlier the trial heard, Mr Scott had found the phone in Morgan’s cell at HMP Altcourse, a category B privately-operated jail, in March 2020 and he was charged in April 2023.

Mr Scott had left the Prison Service in 2021 and played no part as a witness in the prosecution.

Prison officer Sarah Williams admitted three offences of misconduct in a public office in June 2023.

Morgan denied a charge of unauthorised possession of the mobile phone and a court hearing was scheduled for February 19, 2024 – 11 days after Mr Scott was murdered.

The gun used in the murder has never been recovered.

Lancashire Police said former prison officer Lenny Scott was murdered in a ‘vengeful and cold blooded assassination’.

Detective Chief Inspector Lee Wilson told reporters outside Preston Crown Court: ‘Lenny was murdered by Elias Morgan in a vengeful and cold-blooded assassination.

‘It is one of the most callous, brutal and inhumane things I have ever seen in my 30 years as a police officer. He gave Lenny no quarter.’

Mr Wilson called Mr Scott a ‘man of integrity’ who ‘did the right thing in challenging circumstances’ while working at HMP Altcourse in Merseyside.

He added: ‘It was this that cost him his life.

‘After seizing an illicitly held mobile phone from prisoner Elias Morgan, Lenny resisted bribes and threats made towards him.

‘These threats including the chilling phrase: ‘I’ll bide my time, but I promise I will get you’.

‘Morgan unfortunately made good on this threat, waiting four years to take his revenge on Lenny.’

The mother of murdered prison officer Lenny Scott said the family is ‘elated and relieved that we have justice for Lenny’ after his killer was jailed for life with a minimum 45 years.

Speaking outside court, Paula Scott said: ‘We are so pleased about the sentence today. We are elated and relieved that we have justice for Lenny, that Elias Morgan has been held accountable and will be in prison for a very long time.

‘We are also filled with a deep sadness that this should never have happened, that Lenny should still be here.

‘So many lives have been impacted by Lenny’s death. He was a much loved son, dad, grandson, nephew, cousin, friend and colleague.

‘He was a strong, hard-working man, honest, protective, kind and loving, and he had a brilliant sense of humour.

‘His banter was second to none. He had an unforgettable presence and lit up any room he walked into.

‘Lenny was most proud of his three children. They were his world. He spent every moment he could with them.

‘They adored him as he made them feel loved, safe and seen.

‘The children’s mums have become good friends since Lenny died, through their shared love for Lenny as the father of their children, they are devastated and miss Lenny so much.

‘He was always there for them as well as the children. They will ensure that the children grow up together and continue to have all the experiences and adventures that Lenny had planned for them.

‘They will make sure they never forget Lenny’s love for them, and that they grow up with the same values and principles he had.’

Detective Chief Inspector Lee Wilson branded Elias Morgan a ‘small, cowardly, evil’ man.

Speaking to the media outside Preston Crown Court, he said: ‘In closing I want to say this of Lenny: he was a big, strong, kind man, so full of heart and integrity, loved by many, who in simply trying to do his job, keeping the community safe, paid the ultimate price.

‘In absolute contrast, Elias Morgan is a small, cowardly, evil individual who executed this much loved father and son for simply doing his job.’