‘I lived with one among UK’s most evil ladies – however Kate Middleton modified my life’

Francesca Fattore grew up in a loving family home in Reading and her future looked bright – until drugs destroyed it.

She was a teenager when she started taking cannabis and ecstasy but this eventually progressed to heroin and crack after she became an addict.

And after the addiction took a perilous grip on her life, she became a drug dealer, because it meant she could get her own supply for free (while also earning cash).

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Aged 31, she was then hauled to court for selling drugs, before she was again arrested on drug offences six years later. It landed her a prison sentence of three years and eight months.

Despite being terrified, she eventually earned a place on the enhanced wing at HMP Bronzefield where she was allowed her own cell with a shower.

The only catch was that the wing, called Houseblock 4, was where the paedophiles and murderers were kept to protect them from interacting with the general prison population who may wish them harm.

This meant having an adjoining cell to Mairead Philpott, who became known as the ‘UK’s most hated mum’ after killing her six kids alongside her husband in May 2012.

Philpott was charged for deliberately setting fire to her home but was released in 2020 under a new name having served half of her 17 year sentence.

Fran was also forced to interact with her and the likes of Joanna Dennehy, who was dubbed ‘Britain’s most dangerous female’ after killing three men.

Speaking to us about how she stayed sane, she said: “I remember being there and the girls were like ‘oh that girl is here for terrorism’ and ‘that old lady used to beat her kids and make them eat dinner off the floor’.

“Then I was like ’don’t tell me any more’ because I didn’t want to know. This wasn’t who I wanted to be around, I am not that person so I asked not to be told any more.”

However, after a jittery few days of looking over her shoulder, Fran then had a change of heart. She said: “I decided I needed to know who those people were. I needed to know because then I won’t talk to the people I don’t need to.

“I would never kick off on the wing because in my head when I went to prison that was it for me, I was going to change so I had to behave. I had to take my feelings aside of what you would want to say, what you’d want to do to somebody and just be a better person. When I learned my next door neighbour was that woman (Mairead) you just start thinking, ‘wow I am in with some crazy, evil, nasty people’.

“There was another girl called Lucy Wolfe (a nanny who sexually abused a baby) and it is a lot to absorb and to suddenly be living in these wings and having to see these faces every day.

“Literally you just have to think that if I am spoken to by them then just don’t speak back or keep it as minimum as possible. You have to switch off (from their crimes) because you have no choice.”

Life got better for Fran after Princess Kate Middleton visited her when she was in HMP Send in Surrey as a reward for completing a 12-week rehab programme.

She spoke to the Mirror about how “genuine and sincere” Kate was before adding: “Having the privilege to sit with her inspired me to keep going and made me realise I was on the right path. She made me feel worthy and the experience left me on cloud nine. The video was also posted on the Kensington Royal social media accounts and I was the talk of the prison for weeks which was a really nice feeling.”

That leads us to the present day where Fran, 44, is a free woman who dedicates her time to helping former prisoners reintergrate into society.

She is sober and runs her own YouTube channel where she invites other ex-inmates on to share their stories to give hope to other women.

Her organisation is called UkExFemalePrisoner which aims to be a safe space for former female criminals who they want to create opportunities for.

One of the aims is to provide mental health and housing support, education, employment services and financial advice to help women rejoin society.

And asked about the work, Fran told us: “It has been amazing, out of this world. I had a woman mesasge me and honestly I was blown away. She has never been to prison but she sent me the following: ‘Hi Fran, I have never been to prison but my son is always in and out of it. I couldn’t stop worrying about him and still do now he is home. If it wasn’t for you and the other ladies in your group, I wouldn’t be here today. It was you who kept me going and all the amazing ladies who turned their lives around.’

“I couldn’t believe it and we are not just touching prisoners or ex-prisoners it is people who have children who are in prison. It is mind blowing and amazing and so many women have thanked us for supporting them. ”