Brand will face 'hell on earth' in Wandsworth prison, says former inmate

Russell Brand will face "hell on earth" inside HMP Wandsworth, a former inmate at the London prison has said.

Brand, 51, was convicted a week ago of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault and was sentenced on Monday to 10 years and six months in prison.

He is currently being held at the South London jail, which is one of England's largest Victorian-era prisons.

Chris Atkins, who served eight months at HMP Wandsworth for tax fraud, described the prison as "hell on earth".

He continued: "The first month is hands-down the worst. The mental shock is absolutely colossal. 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."

A source close to the disgraced comedian said he was doing "remarkably well considering the circumstances" and that he had been moved from isolation to a main wing in the prison.

A member of staff at Wandsworth said there was "much excitement" among the inmates about Brand's arrival.

"Prisons are boring and Russell Brand being in their space has given them some fun - they've been slamming on cell doors and shouting out his name. He is a rapist, so there's also been some anger about what he's done.

"We're very aware of that feeling," they said.

Brand is likely to still be in a cell on his own. It would usually have a bed, a basin and a toilet. He may have a television and kettle depending on where in the prison he is housed.

On arrival, Brand's possessions will have been confiscated. That will include his mobile phone, clothing, and any other valuables. He will have been issued with a grey prison tracksuit - a uniform that has been described by some of those who've been inside as "itchy" and "often the wrong size".

The former media personality and comedian will have been given a night pack. It contains items such as biscuits, teabags, a small bag of cereal, some sugar and a carton of milk. According to the charity, Prison Reform Trust, this is to help inmates until they can buy goods from the prison shop.

Brand, who has positioned himself as a Christian influencer, would be able to register for the weekly Sunday service in the prison chapel, inmates said.

"Many sign up just to get out of their cell," one added. They said Brand could probably get regular time with the prison chaplain, if he wanted.

Inmates receive money through prison work or from their family. But several former prisoners have told the BBC there are a limited number of jobs in places like workshops, laundry rooms and libraries.

They say it is much harder for sex offenders to get work because their conviction means they are more at risk of assault from mixing with other inmates.

Staff at other prisons say Brand's fame and the offences he has been convicted of could make him a target among other inmates.

Sex offenders are often among those most at risk of being attacked. One prison governor said: "When a trial gets plenty of publicity it highlights the crimes the offender has committed.

"This in turn makes him vulnerable to the inmates own 'justice' system of arbitrary beatings and assaults, especially where sex crimes are involved."

The prison paperwork is also said to be a huge challenge for newcomers. Getting permission to make phone calls and filling out visitor requests can take a long time and have to go through the system to be signed off.

Atkins said: "He won't have anyone set up on his visitor account - visitors need a series of checks. Phone numbers need to be approved. These checks are not quick and you need to know how to make these applications.

"There is often nobody there to tell you how this all works so you have to work it out." He said it took five weeks to see his young son.

It's just days since Brand was sentenced to more than a decade in prison.

At this stage nobody knows what the future holds for him. In time he may be transferred to a different jail with a less harsh regime and more modern facilities.

The guidelines state offenders jailed for four years or more for some serious violent or sexual offences will be released at the two-thirds point. In Brand's case that would be seven years.