Guard blames jail affair on arranged marriage
Shania Begum was caught being ‘physically intimate’ with an inmate after prison bosses concealed a camera
‘As time went by, you fell under suspicion and secret surveillance cameras were set up’
A FEMALE prison officer who was under pressure to enter into an arranged marriage was caught having sex with an inmate after bosses installed a secret camera.
Shania Begum, 25, had sexual relations with prisoner Joshua Mullings after striking up the “inappropriate relationship” while working at HM Prison Birmingham.
A court heard that Begum used the store cupboard to engage in “play fighting, flirting, heavy petting and penetrative sex” with Mullings at the Category B men’s prison.
But their secret rendezvous was rumbled when prison bosses became suspicious and installed a secret camera.
Begum, of Telford, Shropshire, previously admitted misconduct in a public office and was jailed at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday.
Sentencing Begum, Judge John Butterfield said: “As time went by, you fell under suspicion and secret surveillance cameras were set up in the store cupboard.”
He said that it was the prisoners’ duty to keep the store cupboard tidy and that one of those prisoners included Mullings.
He added: “You and he repeatedly spent time together in that store cupboard to be physically intimate, up to and including penetrative physical acts.
“You were observed engaging in consensual activity whilst on duty.”
He added that what she had done had a “corrosive effect” on the prison system.
The court heard that an anti-corruption probe was carried out after prison intelligence led bosses to believe Begum was having a relationship with the prisoner.
Daniel Oscroft, prosecuting, said: “At the time, she was a prison officer at HMP Birmingham and had been from Dec 3 2018.
“The intelligence suggested that the relationship was intimate and taking place within a store cupboard within the prison.
“Cameras were placed within the store cupboard and between Sept 22 and 29 2022, the defendant and Joshua Mullings were observed engaging in sexual activity.”
The court heard that the activity also included Begum giving Mullings oral sex on at least two occasions.
The footage also showed that on some occasions Begum’s radio would go off, which she ignored, and that she had also been interrupted by other members of staff.
There was one time when Begum could not be located for approximately an hour.
When she was arrested, her phone was seized and her internet browsing history revealed that she had had an interest in Mullings and media reports written about him.
Mr Oscroft added that Begum’s conduct “undermines confidence in the prison system, causes problems with prison order and has an impact on the stability and welfare of the prison estate”.
Andrew Baker, defending, said: “She is of previous good character and almost at a loss to explain her conduct. She is deeply remorseful.”
He said that she was a carer for her mother and elder sister, who were both in relatively poor health.
Mr Baker added that at the time, pressure was being placed on her to enter into an arranged marriage.
This, Mr Baker argued, had caused her to behave in an “out-of-character way”.
Mr Baker said that Begum felt “cherished” by Mullings, who had been exploiting her.