Russell Brand may face a gruelling adjustment to life at Wandsworth prison, a former inmate has warned.
Chris Atkins told the BBC that new arrivals can face weeks waiting for approved calls and visits. He also highlighted the strain of confinement with little human contact.
Brand, 51, was sentenced to 10 years and six months on Monday (November 9) at Southwark Crown Court.
He was convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. The convictions followed a four-week trial, concerning offences involving four women committed between 2004 and 2009.
He was acquitted of two further rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault.
Russell Brand’s first month at Wandsworth
Now, a former inmate has said Brand could face “hell on earth” inside HMP Wandsworth.
Chris drew on his own eight months inside the south London jail when describing the adjustment. Chris served eight months at HMP Wandsworth for tax fraud.
“The first month is hands-down the worst. The mental shock is absolutely colossal,” he told the BBC.
He warned that spending weeks in a cramped cell, with minimal human contact, would be particularly difficult.
He added: “It was colossal for me and it’s going to be 10 times worse for him because of the nature of his offences and the height from which he’s fallen.
“He has to come to terms with it and the pure physical shock of suddenly being trapped in a dungeon for weeks on end with nobody to talk to most of the time is ghastly.”
Delays to contact at Wandsworth prison
Chris also described administrative hurdles that can leave new prisoners cut off from family.
Approving telephone numbers and vetting visitors can take weeks, he explained. In his own case, he recalled waiting five weeks before he could see his son.
Brand must serve two-thirds of his sentence before becoming eligible for release. He will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.