A PROBATION officer was "shocked " when told one of the men accused of murdering a Southampton dad started a relationship with the woman mentoring him on release from prison, a court heard.

Terry Wilson was appointed as probation officer for Pierre Lewis - one of three men alleged to have shot dead Jahmel Jones - after he was released from prison on licence in 2012.

Giving evidence at Winchester Crown Court, Mr Wilson, a probation officer for the London Probation Trust, said Lewis revealed he was having a relationship with Rachel Kenehan, who acted as his support mentor while he was in Portland prison and upon his release.

Lewis, 20, is in the dock along with friends Jemmikai Orlebar-Forbes and Isaac Boateng who are accused of carrying out the murder in a joint enterprise on April 20 last year.

Kenehan, 35, is charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, assisting an offender, and perverting the course of justice.

Mr Wilson told the court how he learned of the relationship during an arranged meeting in January last year.

He said: "I was shocked and disappointed. She (kenehan) is a mentor and carrying out an important professional function in terms of supervision.

"She was viewed as an important part of the support system and that compromised that."

The court heard how Mr Wilson phoned Kenehan that day to discuss the relationship and arranged a meeting to be held between her and her manager in which she told them it had been going on “a while”.

The court yesterday also heard details of how Lewis and Kenehan were pulled over by police days before the shooting took place.

Chief inspector Michael Buckle spotted a car driven by Pierre Lewis speeding and running a red light in Maybray King Way, Bitterne, in the early hours of April 3.

He told the court how he followed the car to the BP garage on Bitterne Road where he went over and spoke to the pair.

Insp Buckle said Kenehan advised him Lewis only had a provisional licence and "did most of the talking".

He said Kenehan told him that they had driven from an address locally and were looking for somewhere to get something to eat.

Insp Buckle added Lewis acknowledged he was driving too fast and both apologised for the lack of L plates on the car.

The trial continues.