Inmate released early from HMP Wandsworth says Russell Brand is ‘talk of the prison’

Prisoners released early from the lock-up where Russell Brand has been jailed have claimed he has a TV in his room and use of a gym.

Hundreds more inmates have been released from prisons across the country in the latest phase of the government’s early release scheme.

This includes from HMP Wandsworth, where Brand was yesterday sentenced to spend 10 and a half years after he was convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault against four different women.

The disgraced film star and comic is reportedly being held in a cell of his own away from other prisoners.

The third wave of early release will see around 650 prisoners freed who are serving sentences of more than 882 days (about two years and five months) and fewer than 1,163 days (roughly three years and two months).

At least three were released from Wandsworth as they left the severe Victorian building clutching belongings.

One released on Tuesday afternoon after being jailed for a drug offense said Brand was on the C block, which houses 100 vulnerable inmates.

He said: ‘I’m out after a year of a year and a half sentence. I’m going to be a chef now.’ Brand is on C wing for vulnerable prisoners I was on D Wing. ‘

He added: ‘Most share a cell there but [Brand is] on his own.

‘There’s a gym there with pull up bars to keep fit and he will have a TV in his room. The prisoners, to be honest, are excited about having a celebrity here we had been expecting his arrival.’

An early release prisoner who had his year-long sentence for a sex offense reduced by three weeks claimed to Metro that Brand would be able to import any luxuries into the prison given his wealth.

He said: ‘He’s in C block and has access to a football pitch a basketball court and gym. He can bring in an Xbox or whatever.

‘If you have the money, you are laughing. It’s like Sainsbury’s in there if you have the money and he obviously will. He can bring himself in a nice duvet for sure.’

Another prisoner, released after spending 65 days behind bars, said Brand had been talk of the prison.

He told Metro: ‘I didn’t see Brand, but he’s on his own in a block, I’m told,’ adding: ‘I’m happy to be out.’

The partner of an inmate who jailed at Wandsworth said he has talked to the disgraced star. She said: ‘He is devastated and the conditions terrify him but he is praying.’

Another woman who was visiting her brother in the prison added: ‘My brother says the other prisoners are out to get Brand. My brother is not like that, but some of others want to get money from Brand because he is rich and famous. It always happens.’

Sexual offenders, like Brand, are not eligible for early release.

Nor are convicts of the most serious crimes such as child sex offenders, criminals guilty of manslaughter, terrorists and murderers serving life sentences.

Jamie Dale, an ex-prisoner who helps run the Old Lags Network, which supports ex-prisoners, was giving out food and toiletries to those released.

Mr Dale said he understood public outcry over the scheme, but said that the previous system was not working.

He said: ‘Prison damages people. And if the public think that warehousing people is going to change them, it’s not, it makes them worse.

‘It makes them into more violent people, more unpredictable people, and there is zero rehabilitation going on inside prisons right now because they are about 30% too full.

‘The prison service and the probation service are in survival mode, and they just, because of that, they’re just unable to deliver proper rehabilitation.’ 

Metro has contacted the Department of Justice for comment.