RESIDES: Bronzefield Prison
OCCUPATION: Incarcerated
MARITAL STATUS: Married to Ashwin Patel
PREVIOUS MARRIAGES: None
PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIPS: James Harrington-Jones (one-night stand)
CHILDREN: Kiaan Patel
GRANDCHILDREN: None
FATHER: Samir Sharma
MOTHER: Geeta Sharma
SIBLINGS: Shaheen Gupta (née Sharma) and Meera Sharma
NOTABLE RELATIVES: Angad Gupta (brother-in-law), Ekta Patel (mother-in-law), Azad Patel (brother-in-law), Nargis Patel (sister-in-law)

BIOGRAPHY: Born and raised in Bradford within a close-knit Indian family, Neha is the youngest of three daughters. In 2004, she married Ashwin in an arranged match negotiated by their families. For many years their marriage was steady and happy, and in 2018 they relocated to Glendale after Neha secured a teaching post at Glendale Primary School.

But beneath the surface, Neha carried a deep longing – she yearned desperately to become a mother. Year after year, she faced heartbreak as she failed to conceive. When the couple began exploring IVF, medical tests revealed that Ashwin’s low sperm count made natural conception impossible. With the cost of fertility treatment far beyond their means, Neha was forced to confront the crushing reality that her dream of motherhood might never be fulfilled.

The grief was too heavy to bear. Neha sought comfort in alcohol, and what began as a coping mechanism soon spiralled into full-blown addiction. As her drinking worsened, Neha’s personality darkened. She grew bitter, resentful, and increasingly cruel toward Ashwin – blaming him for the emptiness she felt. Their once-stable marriage deteriorated rapidly, and Neha’s outbursts escalated into physical violence, and she frequently lashed out, slapping or hitting Ashwin during drunken rages.

In 2024, Neha crossed an unforgivable line. While intoxicated, she slapped her six-year-old student, Poppy Granger. The incident sent shockwaves through Glendale, turning Neha into the village pariah and costing her both her job and reputation. She was arrested, released on bail, and left to face the fallout.

Her life continued to unravel. One night, fuelled by alcohol and despair, she had a reckless liaison with James Harrington-Jones in the women’s toilets of The Oak & Vine. Weeks later, Neha discovered she was pregnant and drunkenly confessed the truth to Ashwin. The revelation triggered a heated argument, and in a moment of rage, Neha struck Ashwin, causing him to fall and hit his head on the coffee table. This time, there was no leniency – Neha was arrested and sent to prison.

Behind bars, Neha hit rock bottom. Pregnant by another man, estranged from her husband, and stripped of her career, she was forced to confront the devastation she had caused. She eventually gave birth to her son, Kiaan, at Bronzefield Prison.

Now, with her sentence almost complete, Neha is preparing to return to Glendale. But questions remain: Can she rebuild her life? Can she face the villagers she hurt? And is there any future left for her and Ashwin, or have her actions shattered their marriage beyond repair?