A prison officer has been sentenced to 16 months in jail after admitting to engaging in sexual activity with an inmate at HMP Birmingham. Shania Begum, a 25-year-old resident of Telford, pleaded guilty to a charge of misconduct in a public office and appeared at Birmingham Crown Court on January 11 for sentencing.
The incident came to light when staff at the Category B prison in Winson Green grew suspicious of Begum and an alleged inappropriate relationship she was involved in with a prisoner. Authorities launched an investigation into the matter, led by the Regional Prison Intelligence Unit.
It was discovered that Begum, who had been working at the prison since December 2018, would take the inmate into private areas under the pretence of supervising him. In these private settings, they engaged in consensual sexual activity away from the watchful eyes of other prison officers and inmates.
Begum’s actions were caught in the act during the investigation, and she was subsequently arrested on October 3, 2022. During questioning, Begum refused to answer questions about her inappropriate relationship with the inmate. However, due to the overwhelming evidence presented, she later pleaded guilty in court.
Detective Constable Adam McHugh, from the West Midlands Regional Prison Intelligence Unit, expressed the unit’s commitment to upholding the values and conduct expected of prison officers. He stated that Begum’s behavior eroded the public’s trust in her as a prison officer and emphasised that she now faces a period of time behind bars.
