A prison teacher who helped an inmate smuggle cannabis and mobile phones into jail faces being locked up himself.

Niyi Onilude, 53, of Stoke Newington Church Street, forged a relationship with convicted drug dealer Sean Barnabie while working as his literacy tutor at Wormwood Scrubs, west London.

Onilude helped the 32-year-old inmate to smuggle weed into the jail with the help of Barbabie’s lover Parice Lewis, 23, of Tal Close, Bristol, who acted as his drugs mule.

The pair laundered the profits from the drug dealing racket with some of the cash being paid into Lewis’ bank account over an eight-month period last year.

After the plot was uncovered in February, Barnabie advised his girlfriend what to tell police and demanded she threw away her phone.

Onilude, Barnabie and Lewis appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday August 27.

Remanding Barnabie and Lewis in custody, and granting Onilude bail, Judge Martin Beddoe said they would return to court for sentencing on September 24.

Onilude, who taught at Wormwood Scrubs for 12 years, bowed his head as he was told he faces a lengthy spell behind bars.

“Niyi Onilude, the reality of your situation, it seems to me, is that you are facing a not insignificant sentence for your part in this sorry affair, Judge Beddoe said.

Onilude, Barnabie and Lewis admitted two counts of conspiracy to bring a prohibited article into prison.

Barnabie and Lewis admitted conspiracy to convert criminal property, while Barnabie also admitted perverting the course of justice.