Former inmate warns Russell Brand faces a punishing start at Wandsworth

Russell Brand is being held at HMP Wandsworth after being sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison for rape and sexual assault. A former inmate has warned that the first weeks in the London prison can be exceptionally difficult, while staff and former prisoners say Brand’s conviction and public profile could make him vulnerable to other inmates.

Chris Atkins, who served eight months at Wandsworth for tax fraud, described the prison as “hell on earth”. He said the first month was the hardest, describing the shock of imprisonment and long periods with little company. Atkins predicted the experience would be worse for Brand because of the offences he was convicted of and his fall from public prominence.

Brand was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault on 5 November, and sentenced on 9 November. He has been at Wandsworth for about a week, according to the BBC.

A source close to Brand told the BBC he was doing “remarkably well considering the circumstances” and had been moved from isolation to a main wing. A prison staff member said some inmates had been shouting his name and slamming cell doors, while others were angry about his crimes.

Former prisoners told the BBC that people convicted of sex offences can be at greater risk of assault and may find it harder to get prison jobs because of that risk. A former governor said high-profile trials can draw attention to an offender’s crimes and leave them vulnerable to assaults by other inmates.

Atkins also described practical difficulties for new arrivals, including getting phone numbers approved and arranging visits. He said it took him five weeks to see his young son. Brand may eventually be transferred to another prison, the BBC reported; it said offenders serving at least four years for certain serious violent or sexual offences are generally released after serving two-thirds of their sentence, which would mean seven years in Brand’s case.