A female prison officer is facing serious allegations of engaging in a sexual relationship with a convicted robber inside a prison prayer room, as presented in court proceedings.
Isabelle Dale, 23, is accused of engaging in sexual activities with inmate Shahid Sharif within the confines of the prayer room at HMP Coldingley in Surrey. During these encounters, it is claimed that two other inmates acted as lookouts.
This alleged affair reportedly spanned from September 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022. The relationship came to light, leading to the transfer of Sharif, who was serving the third year of a twelve-year sentence, to HMP Swaleside located on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.
In addition to her alleged involvement with Sharif, Dale is also accused of having a sexual relationship with another inmate, Connor Money.
Money, aged 28, is serving a nine-year sentence for causing the death of his best friend in a high-speed car crash while attempting to evade police pursuit at 147 mph.
Originating from Portsmouth, Dale began her tenure as a prison officer in September 2021. She is further facing accusations of smuggling drugs into HMP Swaleside.
She appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Monday charged with with two counts of misconduct in a public office for her relationships with Sharif and Money and for conspiring to smuggle drugs.
The prison officer was seen entering the Surrey prison’s multi-faith room with Sharif on July 19, 2022
Isabelle Dale, 23, allegedly slept with Shahid Sharif in the prayer room at HMP Coldingley in Surrey
They remained there for four minutes while two inmates appeared to act as lookouts, the court heard.
The room is not covered by CCTV but she was seen readjusting her belt area on the right-hand side of her hip after leaving.
After her arrest, police found a message on her phone where Sharif complimented her genitals.
‘It was good sharing dat [sic] today,’ another message said.
She sent the inmate flirty images via the ’email a prisoner system’ and transferred £100 across two payments, the court heard.
Sharif was then transferred to HMP Swaleside, where Dale visited him on three separate occasions between September and October 2022.
CCTV footage shows Dale in civilian clothing embracing and kissing him.
The former prison guard also helped the convict smuggle envelopes ‘laced with spice’ into his new prison, jurors heard.
She allegedly operated Sharif’s drug-dealing Snapchat account and was supposed to source the synthetic cannabis from an associate of Sharif’s based in Brighton called Lilea Sallis.
Police later found drug-smuggling paraphernalia in the boot of her car, along with an engagement ring said by Dale to have been bought for her by Sharif.
Sharif was transferred to HMP Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent after their relationship emerged
Sharif is not on trial after already pleading guilty to conspiring with the two women and others unknown to convey drugs into prison.
Prosecutor Kieran Brand said: ‘Their intimate relationship led to Miss Dale agreeing with him to smuggle contraband, including the illegal drug ‘spice’ into the prison.
Jurors also heard that Dale joined the prison service on 29 September 2021, and was made aware of the standard ‘Counter Corruption and Reporting Wrongdoing Policy framework’.
Upon being arrested, police found a packet of carbon paper used to hide contraband from prison x-ray machines in her car.
Investigators also discovered a ‘framed canvas’ of the couple hanging over the prison officer’s bed at home.
Mr Brand added: ‘Once Miss Dale had been arrested and removed from HMP Swaleside, the prison conducted a search of Mr Sharif’s cell, where a quantity of love letters, as well as a number of provocative photographs from Miss Dale were recovered.’
Phone downloads obtained from Dale’s seized handset revealed another ‘physical relationship’ with the second inmate during he time at HMP Coldingley, jurors heard.
Mr Brand said: ‘Miss Dale refers to watching a documentary on Belmarsh about prisoners grooming staff and includes a laughing face emoji.
‘She says “you maybe just wanting to use me because I’m an officer but I don’t think your like that xx”
‘There is also evidence on Miss Dale’s phone showing that she communicated with two further prisoners via illegally held mobile phones.
Dale is also accused of having a sexual relationship with another inmate Connor Money
‘(She) received numerous photos of serving prisoners, as well as communicating with Mr Sharif’s relatives, all whilst employed as a serving prison officer.’
In one call Sharif told Dale there was a lot of money to be made from selling spice in prison, boasting they could make £16,000 from an envelope.
Mr Brand said that Sharif and Dale later discussed her ‘going to Brighton where Miss Sallis lived to collect spice soaked envelopes which Miss Dale can the provide to Mr Sharif for him to sell in prison.’
Dale denies two counts of misconduct in a public office and conspiracy to convey a ‘List A’ prohibited article into prison.
Sallis, of East Sussex, denies conspiracy to convey a ‘List A’ prohibited article into prison.
The trial, which began on Monday, will last two weeks.
