A young prison officer has appeared in court accused of orchestrating a drug smuggling operation inside one of London's prisons.
The Alleged Conspiracy
Shannon Day, aged 24 from Sydenham in southeast London, stood alongside two inmates at Croydon Magistrates' Court last Wednesday. Her alleged accomplices are named as Bertil Baluba, 34, and Mark McBain, 62. The trio face a series of serious charges including conspiracy to supply drugs, misconduct in public office, fraud, and money laundering.
Prosecutors allege the group conspired to bring a quantity of cannabis into HMP Brixton between September 1 and October 31, 2022. They are also jointly accused of plotting to supply so-called 'Spice Paper' – a Class B synthetic drug sprayed onto paper for smoking or ingestion.
Additional Charges and Specific Allegations
The charges extend beyond drugs. All three are further accused of conspiring to convey prohibited items into the prison, specifically three mobile phones and associated cables.
Day faces an additional, separate count of misconduct in public office. This relates to an allegation that on October 24, 2022, while acting as a prison officer, she conspired with an inmate to get prohibited articles into HMP Brixton. She is also charged with possessing cannabis on that same date.
The fraud charge against Day stems from her allegedly failing to disclose visits to prisoners at HMP Lewes and HMP Maidstone between January 22, 2022, and February 9, 2023. It is claimed this was done with the intent to gain employment at HMP Brixton.
Baluba faces further individual charges for possessing a mobile phone inside HMP Brixton on October 20, 2022, and for money laundering. He is accused of transferring £2,170 of criminal property into Shannon Day's bank account during the September-October 2022 period.
Next Steps in the Case
The case has been escalated to a higher court. All three defendants are scheduled to appear at Croydon Crown Court on January 7, 2026.
Shannon Day has been granted bail with the specific condition that she must not contact her two co-defendants, Baluba and McBain, while proceedings continue.
