VALERY has been in love with her man, Mo, for seven years but it's not always been the easiest of relationships. "In total he's been in prison five times," she told Love Don't Judge. On Mo's latest jail release, the couple decided to get matching neck tattoos. Valery explained: "So he got King and I got Queen, because I'm a Queen and he's my King." Since then, Mo has ended up back in prison and Valery is raising their daughter, Sahrylah. Valery admitted: "Being a single parent, sometimes it's hard, but I'm happy I've got a good support system around me." Valery's decision to stick by Mo has been met with some concerns, both online and from loved-ones. Her friend Keneisha said: "I did have reservations with the fact that he's a criminal. It's not exactly a good life for a woman to be with a partner like that." But undeterred, Valery concluded: "He's like the male version of me, except the criminal activities, that's why I always keep running back to him."
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00:00I'm Valerie. My prison boyfriend wanted me to get a neck tattoo.
00:03We've been together for seven years,
00:05but in total, he's been in prison five times.
00:08People usually judge my relationship on social media.
00:11Someone says delusion is a real thing.
00:13Wasting your time and money. Be smart.
00:15I'm Valerie's friend.
00:17I did have reservations about the fact that he's a criminal,
00:19in and out of jail.
00:20I just thought, why is this girl getting a tattoo on her neck?
00:23This isn't going to be good. This is not healthy.
00:27Me and Miriam met when we were in secondary school.
00:30We started dating when we were 19, and around six months,
00:33he ended up in prison.
00:35In total, he's been in prison five times.
00:38Three of those times, he's been with me.
00:40He really doesn't know me, that he always ends up going back to prison,
00:43but I feel like whenever he goes back, I just can't abandon him.
00:47So, I'm always there for him.
00:52Miriam got out of prison and he wanted to do something exciting and fun.
00:55So, he thought, let's just get matching tats.
00:57And I was like, yeah, why not?
00:59So, he got king and I got queen, because I'm a queen and he's my king.
01:04When we did it and we posted it, it got loads of people's reactions.
01:08At first, the trolls used to get to me,
01:10and I used to be on the phone to him, like,
01:11oh, they're saying this and they're saying that.
01:13And because of him, I learned to, like,
01:16not pay attention to what they have to say.
01:19Every time I'm out, people just stare at me, but I just don't care.
01:23At first, my family wasn't OK with my relationship with Mo.
01:27They used to tell me, leave him, he's a criminal, he's not good for you.
01:32They obviously want me to find someone better, but I love him.
01:39Surprise!
01:46When Mo came out of prison, December 2022,
01:48I told him if he does go back to prison,
01:52I'm not taking him back.
01:54But then he ended up going back to prison,
01:56and I was three months pregnant, so I couldn't leave him.
02:01And I went through my whole pregnancy and labour by myself.
02:09This is Rila.
02:11She's 11 months old.
02:13Being a single parent sometimes is hard.
02:15You're so cute.
02:17But I'm happy I've got a good support system around me.
02:21My family and his family, they help me a lot.
02:25Hi, guys, come with me to send Mo some clothes while he's in prison.
02:29I decided to share my relationship online
02:32because I never used to really see anyone do it.
02:35I do receive a lot of negative comments.
02:38By the type of company he keeps around,
02:40and just by watching this video,
02:42there's a 99.9% chance he's going back.
02:45He loves the lifestyle.
02:48Someone else said,
02:49OK, but if I love someone, I will never put myself and her in that situation.
02:55If I'm being honest, I do agree with this person.
02:58Someone else said delusion is a real thing.
03:02Maybe I'm a little bit delusional, just a tiny bit.
03:05How are you spending that much money on someone who is a criminal
03:10with no future, still wasting your time and money?
03:12Be smart.
03:14I don't care.
03:16He wouldn't wait for you if it was the other way around.
03:20And it's not me being negative, it's the truth.
03:23To be honest, that person did make a good point.
03:24And I don't think he would wait for me.
03:29He said he would, but I don't know.
03:31I feel like men are different compared to girls.
03:34So I don't actually think he would.
03:38Mo is currently in prison, waiting to be sentenced.
03:41He's looking at six to 12 years.
03:44Me and Mo maintain our relationship through letters, phone calls, visits.
03:49I feel happy and excited whenever I receive a letter from him.
03:52I'm lucky to have you being patient with me and sticking around
03:56and staying down for me when I need it the most.
03:59This is one of the gifts he got me while he was in prison for my birthday.
04:04He said you're tough.
04:06Mo also got me these trainers while he was in prison.
04:10They were like around Ā£6.50.
04:13The letters and the things mean more to me than the actual gift.
04:17It's hard on Mo because he's not here.
04:20I see he's missing out being around Sarayla.
04:23Sarayla has been gone to this air dad's since she was two years old.
04:27The prison gave me this book when I went to visit Mo one time for Sarayla.
04:33So in here they kind of help the kids understand why the parent is in prison.
04:37It's really good that they do this.
04:39I don't think prison is a good place to take kids,
04:42but sometimes we just have to do it.
04:44So they know who their dad or mummy is.
04:47Look!
04:50Oh, that's Mo calling now.
04:54Hey babe.
04:57Nothing, just packing some clothes for you.
05:02I just can't wait for you to come home so we can finally get a family.
05:07I know it's been too long.
05:09Sarayla needs you.
05:11I need you.
05:13All right, I love you.
05:15Bye.
05:17Some of my friends weren't sure about our relationship
05:19because obviously he just kept being in and out of prison
05:23and he can't keep himself out.
05:25This is Crim and Dada.
05:26Oh, Dada!
05:28My friend Kanisha is coming over
05:30and I'm interested to see what she got to say about my relationship.
05:33I'm a bit nervous about having this conversation with her.
05:36I'm Kanisha and I'm Badari's friend.
05:39I did have reservations.
05:40The fact that he's a criminal, in and out of jail,
05:42it's not exactly a good life for, obviously, a woman
05:45to be with a partner like that and now Sarayla's in the picture.
05:51Hey!
05:54What did you feel when I first told you about my relationship with Mo?
05:57This isn't going to be good.
05:58This is not healthy.
06:00He's a well-known convict and at first I wasn't happy about it.
06:04I didn't really like Mo to begin with
06:07because he's a criminal.
06:09Every criminal is from love.
06:12Not from you.
06:14Yeah, though, in all seriousness though,
06:15I didn't really like the fact that I think he's going to be
06:18pulling you down and stopping your progress in life.
06:21What do you think about our matching tattoos?
06:22Do you like it?
06:26Obviously, I'm an ink freak, so I love tattoos,
06:29but I just thought, why is this girl getting a tattoo on her neck?
06:32Like, just in such a visible place.
06:35It is different, but when you get older,
06:38it's not going to be a good look.
06:40Mm.
06:41But obviously, it's cute.
06:42What are you going to do if Mo ends up with a 12-year sentence?
06:46I feel like I'm still going to be there for him,
06:48regardless of whether he's taken the files of my kids,
06:50whether we'll be together or not, I'll still be there for him.
06:54Do you think it'll be hard raising Sarayla
06:56without Mo being there for 12 years?
06:58She's going to be a whole 12 years old, you know.
07:01I know. Pretty keen.
07:03It would definitely be hard, but what can I do?
07:07I can't take him out of my presence.
07:08Can I stepdaddy?
07:10I thought.
07:12Do you feel like you're missing out on parts of your life
07:14in this relationship?
07:16We asked her because we want her.
07:20I'm obviously seeing all your TikTok comments,
07:22and I just wanted to know,
07:24how do you deal with all the hate stuff that you get online?
07:29At first, it really used to get to me,
07:31Now, I just don't care.
07:32Oh, that's good. You can't really know what you're doing, you know?
07:35So what do you think about our relationship now?
07:37To be honest, even though Mo's obviously where he is,
07:42and, you know, you're out here doing a really good job
07:45in motherhood, Mo seems to be supporting you
07:47as best as he can do, so I'm quite happy for you guys,
07:51and God willing, he's home before the 12 years,
07:55and it'll be next year, God willing.
07:59Cos I'm tired of doing daddy duties.
08:02Love you.
08:02Love you too, girl.
08:04A couple of things I love the most about Mo is that
08:06he can be a gentleman.
08:09He's a good person.
08:10He's a listener.
08:12He's a provider.
08:14He's just everything I need.
08:17He's like the male version of me,
08:19except the criminal activities,
08:21but me and him are sort of alike,
08:22so that's why I always keep running back to him.
08:26What I have to say to people that judge my relationship?
08:30One second.
08:37Yay!
08:56Yay!
08:57Yay!
08:58Yay!
08:59Yay!