Russell Brand has reportedly been given a prison nickname after being placed in a solitary wing hours after being convicted of rape and sexual assault. The disgraced comedian, 51, has spent the weekend in the underground cells of HMP Wandsworth as he awaits sentencing on Monday.
Nickname and Conditions
According to the Daily Mail, inmates have been referring to him as "Russell from the Block". Brand was initially taken to the Category B prison in Wandsworth before being transferred to its Care and Separation Unit (CSU), also known as The Block.
Visitors to the jail have described how Brand is said to be coping behind bars, with one claiming he has been struggling with the food. Speaking outside HMP Wandsworth, a female visitor said her boyfriend had told her Brand "doesn't like the food and is struggling to eat it", adding: "It's slop."
Another woman, who had just visited her son inside the jail, said: "My son said Brand is downstairs from him. He said no one is allowed to see or speak to him."
Conviction and Sentencing
Brand was told to expect a lengthy custodial sentence after being found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday. His barrister, Ian Winter KC, appealed for Brand to be granted bail over the weekend as an "act of humanity" so he could say goodbye to his children. But the judge refused, citing fears he could flee rather than return to court.
Emergency Response at the Prison
Emergency services were pictured outside the prison on Saturday morning ahead of Brand's sentencing on Monday. Three ambulances and two ambulance cars entered the jail, along with a number of firefighters. A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said crews attended HMP Wandsworth at 9:46am, with the incident over by 10:20am.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: "We have been made aware of an incident at height at HMP Wandsworth this morning, which has now been resolved." A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We were called at 9.33am today to reports of an incident at HMP Wandsworth. We sent a number of resources, including our Hazardous Area Response Team, an Incident Response Officer, an ambulance and fast response unit." The exact nature of the incident remains unclear.
Previous Criticism of Conditions
HMP Wandsworth has previously faced criticism over its living conditions, with inspectors highlighting serious problems during an inspection in April and May 2024. The Category B jail, which also has a small Category C resettlement unit, houses more than 1,500 prisoners. Following their inspection, inspectors issued prison bosses with an urgent action plan to address several concerns.
