Ambulances and hearth engines rush to Russell Brand’s jail in emergency incident
Multiple ambulances and fire engines have been photographed outside HMP Wandsworth, where Russell Brand is being held after being found guilty of rape and three sexual assaults
HMP Wandsworth is a Category B prison, and also includes a small Category C resettlement unit(Image: W8media)
Emergency services have descended on Russell Brand’s prison following an incident at the facility. Ambulances, police cars and fire engines were photographed outside HMP Wandsworth in South London, where the convicted sex offender is currently being held.
The precise nature of the emergency remains unknown, though it is believed no fire was involved. In total, three ambulances and two ambulance cars were seen entering the jail, while three fire engines attended but remained outside the premises. A number of firefighters also made their way inside on foot. A London Fire Brigade spokesperson confirmed: “At 0946, Firefighters were called to HMP Wandsworth. The incident was over for crews by 1020.”
Brand, 51, was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault on Thursday (November 5), with the judge immediately remanding him into custody. He is due to be sentenced on Monday (November 9) and was warned on Thursday that he faces a lengthy prison term.
A number of firefighters entered on foot, but the London Fire Brigade were stood down at 10.20am(Image: W8media)
The comedian remained expressionless throughout the verdict, save for closing his eyes when the guilty verdict on the rape charge was delivered. Prior to stepping into the dock to receive the verdicts, Brand told his wife Laura Gallacher “I love you”.
She was observed hunching over in the public gallery as Brand learnt he now faces imprisonment. His barrister, Ian Winter KC, appealed for Brand to be granted bail over the weekend as an “act of humanity” to allow him to bid farewell to his children, but the judge rejected this due to concerns he might abscond rather than return to court.
The Express has approached the Ministry of Justice, the Metropolitan Police and the London Ambulance Service for comment. The Met Police declined to comment.
According to The Mirror, an unnamed female visitor outside HMP Wandsworth on Saturday revealed: “My boyfriend told me about Brand being in there. He said Brand doesn’t like the food and is struggling to eat it. It’s slop.”
Another woman, who had just visited her son at the prison, stated: “My son said Brand is downstairs from him. He said no one is allowed to see or speak to him.”
Brand is reported to have spent his first night behind bars praying alongside a chaplain. The born-again Christian was met at his cell door by the minister, with sources confirming he was then escorted to the chapel at Wandsworth.
Brand, who brought a bright blue Bible to court during the early stages of his trial, then knelt down to pray. As a sex offender, he is being housed separately from other inmates and is undergoing assessment by prison officers.
Ambulances rush to Russell Brand’s prison in emergency incident(Image: -)
According to The Sun, prison authorities conducted a Cell-Sharing Risk Assessment (CSRA) on him and have decided to keep him in a single cell due to safety concerns.
Prison staff have also opened a Care in Custody document on the former TV and Hollywood star, which means they must monitor him regularly and keep records of his mood.
HMP Wandsworth is a Category B prison, and also contains a small Category C resettlement unit. According to The Mirror, prison inspectors raised concerns about multiple aspects of the facility following their most recent visit and provided managers with an immediate action plan to improve standards.
The facility currently houses more than 1,500 inmates.
The scathing report following the inspection in April and May 2024, states: “Overall living conditions were poor. Levels of overcrowding were high, with 80% of prisoners sharing cells designed for one. The prison was dirty. Many showers were in poor condition across the prison, and some should have been decommissioned. There were frequent issues with heating and hot water.
“Numerous cells had damaged furniture, flooring, windows or sinks. Many observation panels were blocked or smashed. Vermin remained a problem in the prison. Recent intensive work with an outside provider had seen some improvement, but prisoners told us that rodents were still seen frequently, and we found evidence of rat droppings across residential units.”
