Officer Birtles worked in the prison where Gail McIntyre was remanded in custody for the murder of husband Joe, a charge she was innocent of. She was sympathetic and understanding the Gail on her first full day in the prison and Gail duly thanked her. Some two months later, when Gail had shared a cell with murderess Tracy Barlow and had been set up by her into telling her things about her time in the Lake District that Tracy could twist into a confession to give to the police, Tracy asked Officer Birtles for a transfer to another cell before Gail could find out what had been done to her. She later escorted Tracy to the visitors room when Steve and Becky McDonald bought Amy Barlow along to discuss the latter’s adoption with her and took also Gail to see her Solicitor when he broke the bad news that she had been set up by Tracy.
- The character was credited as "Officer Birtles" on her first appearance and “Prison Officer Birtles” on her second.