Russell Brand ‘consuming maggot-filled sandwiches’ and saved remoted for 23-hours-a-day
A prison expert has shed light on what disgraced comedian Russell Brand’s life could be like inside the notorious HMP Wandsworth, from hours of isolation to horrible grub
Brand was jailed for 10 and a half years
Russell Brand could be chomping down on grim, maggot-infested food while spending 23 hours a day locked in his cell at one of Britain’s most notorious prisons, accrding to a prison expert.
Brand, 51, was jailed for 10 years and six months after being convicted of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others and is currently inside London’s HMP Wandsworth, known for its dreadful overcrowding, rat infestations and appalling living conditions. And prison consultant Justin Paperny has painted a grim picture of what life could look like for the disgraced comic.
Speaking on the Law&Crime YouTube channel, he said: “This is a prison built in the 1850s. It’s 175 years old. It was originally built to hold like 900 people. I think there’s nearly 1,500. It’s old. It’s overcrowded. It’s dirty.”
Wandsworth prison is known to be grim
Describing conditions inside the jail, the expert continued: “The vermin, the roaches, it’s infested, it’s dirty, bugs in the food. It will test the strongest mind.”
He also explained how Brand could be confined to his cell for up to 23 hours a day, with little more than a television, books and phone calls to his family to pass the time.
He also claimed that illegal activity and the sale of drugs and weapons was a real issue, with drones regularly delivering drugs, mobile phones and food to prisoners.
Brand has been warned to keep his head down whilst inside
He said: “My client told me that it was common knowledge that drones would come by the cell in the evenings. You’d hear the noise to drop off the drugs and the iPhones and the food.”
And Brand’s celebrity status could make life even harder, with fellow inmates potentially looking to sell stories about Brand to the outside world, or gain notoriety by harming the A-lister while he is inside.
Paperny warned: “There could be people that challenge him, that want to leave prison and go on television and sit for an interview about what it was like to serve time with him.”
Brand’s fame could make life even trickier in prison
The expert advised Brand to avoid confrontation and resist attempting to buy friendship or protection through prison favours.
He said: “He shouldn’t make jokes. He shouldn’t mock other prisoners. He shouldn’t talk about that he’s a victim.”
If Brand is eventually transferred to a lower-security prison, his life could become considerably more comfortable.
Paperny suggested he might even take on jobs scrubbing toilets, cleaning showers or delivering food and crucially to not “make matters worse” by starting conflicts with other prisoners.
