Two criminals who made a rap video while serving time in prison have been charged with illegally making a sound recording in jail - in what is believed to be the first prosecution of its kind.
Demehl Thomas and Moysha Shepherd, both prisoners at HMP Birmingham, are accused of using a mobile phone that was illegally smuggled into the prison to film the video.
In it, they perform an expletive-filled rap about drug dealing and assaults on rival gang members.
The two 25-year-olds have been charged with making a sound recording in prison without authorisation, at some stage between 1 and 16 August this year. It is believed to be the first prosecution of its kind under the 1952 Prison Act, according to West Midlands Police.
People convicted of this crime face the prospect of an additional two years behind bars - but despite the penalties, 7,451 smuggled mobile phones were found in the UK's prisons in 2013 alone.
Thomas and Shepherd will appear via video link at Birmingham Magistrates Court on 17 September.
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West Midlands Police Detective Inspector Nick Dale, said in a statement: "The law is intended to minimise the potential for a camera or recording device being used to produce images or sound which can then be transmitted to people outside the prison and possibly compromise security or pose a threat to the safety of prisoners and staff."
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“There is no security issue in this case… rather an allegation of two inmates brazenly defying prison rules to show-off and give the impression they are still calling the shots behind bars."
“I hope the decision to charge these two individuals shows this kind of behaviour won’t be tolerated and we will always seek to prosecute offenders.”
Pete Small, the G4S director for the prison, said that the men have already been stripped of their prison privileges.
